diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index f875a84ccc2..8206a90ebd6 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ addons:
       - geoip-database
 
 before_install:
+  - umask 022
+  - chmod -R go-w $GOPATH/src/github.com/elastic/beats
   # Docker-compose installation
   - sudo rm /usr/local/bin/docker-compose || true
   - curl -L https://github.com/docker/compose/releases/download/${DOCKER_COMPOSE_VERSION}/docker-compose-`uname -s`-`uname -m` > docker-compose
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
index 3453fc6086a..ed5b80eb150 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.asciidoc
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ https://github.com/elastic/beats/compare/v5.1.1...master[Check the HEAD diff]
 *Affecting all Beats*
 
 - Change beat generator. Use `$GOPATH/src/github.com/elastic/beats/script/generate.py` to generate a beat. {pull}3452[3452]
+- Configuration files must not be writable by other users. {pull}3544[3544]
 
 *Metricbeat*
 - Linux cgroup metrics are now enabled by default for the system process
diff --git a/dev-tools/jenkins_ci b/dev-tools/jenkins_ci
index f25a368a527..fb5afaa858b 100755
--- a/dev-tools/jenkins_ci
+++ b/dev-tools/jenkins_ci
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ main() {
     err "--build and --cleanup cannot be used together"
     exit 1
   elif [ "$BUILD" == "true" ]; then
+    chmod -R go-w "${GOPATH}/src/github.com/elastic/beats"
     build
   elif [ "$CLEANUP" == "true" ]; then
     cleanup
@@ -140,4 +141,5 @@ main() {
   fi
 }
 
+umask 022
 main $*
diff --git a/filebeat/fileset/modules_integration_test.go b/filebeat/fileset/modules_integration_test.go
index 8e98a2c848d..eb7237a07ad 100644
--- a/filebeat/fileset/modules_integration_test.go
+++ b/filebeat/fileset/modules_integration_test.go
@@ -45,8 +45,9 @@ func TestLoadPipeline(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var res map[string]interface{}
 	err = json.Unmarshal(response, &res)
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, "describe pipeline", res["my-pipeline-id"].(map[string]interface{})["description"], string(response))
+	if assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		assert.Equal(t, "describe pipeline", res["my-pipeline-id"].(map[string]interface{})["description"], string(response))
+	}
 }
 
 func TestSetupNginx(t *testing.T) {
@@ -62,10 +63,14 @@ func TestSetupNginx(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	reg, err := newModuleRegistry(modulesPath, configs, nil, "5.2.0")
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 
 	err = reg.LoadPipelines(client)
-	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 
 	status, _, _ := client.Request("GET", "/_ingest/pipeline/filebeat-5.2.0-nginx-access-with_plugins", "", nil, nil)
 	assert.Equal(t, 200, status)
diff --git a/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile.go b/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile.go
index cf8290846cf..d7eeaf1c0d4 100644
--- a/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile.go
+++ b/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile.go
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func HandleFlags() error {
 func Read(out interface{}, path string) error {
 	config, err := Load(path)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return config.Unpack(out)
diff --git a/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile_test.go b/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile_test.go
index a8d1832345b..74d104df99a 100644
--- a/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/cfgfile/cfgfile_test.go
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ func TestRead(t *testing.T) {
 
 	config := &TestConfig{}
 
-	err = Read(config, absPath+"/config.yml")
-	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	if err = Read(config, absPath+"/config.yml"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 
 	// validate
 	assert.Equal(t, "localhost", config.Output.Elasticsearch.Host)
diff --git a/libbeat/common/config.go b/libbeat/common/config.go
index 593471acbdf..a35888da239 100644
--- a/libbeat/common/config.go
+++ b/libbeat/common/config.go
@@ -5,8 +5,11 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common/file"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/logp"
 	"github.com/elastic/go-ucfg"
 	"github.com/elastic/go-ucfg/cfgutil"
@@ -14,6 +17,17 @@ import (
 	"github.com/elastic/go-ucfg/yaml"
 )
 
+var flagStrictPerms = flag.Bool("strict.perms", true, "Strict permission checking on config files")
+
+// IsStrictPerms returns true if strict permission checking on config files is
+// enabled.
+func IsStrictPerms() bool {
+	if !*flagStrictPerms || os.Getenv("BEAT_STRICT_PERMS") == "false" {
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 // Config object to store hierarchical configurations into.
 // See https://godoc.org/github.com/elastic/go-ucfg#Config
 type Config ucfg.Config
@@ -143,6 +157,12 @@ func NewFlagOverwrite(
 }
 
 func LoadFile(path string) (*Config, error) {
+	if IsStrictPerms() {
+		if err := ownerHasExclusiveWritePerms(path); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	c, err := yaml.NewConfigWithFile(path, configOpts...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -390,3 +410,35 @@ func filterDebugObject(c interface{}) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// ownerHasExclusiveWritePerms asserts that the current user is the
+// owner of the config file and that the config file is (at most) writable by
+// the owner (e.g. group and other cannot have write access).
+func ownerHasExclusiveWritePerms(name string) error {
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	info, err := file.Stat(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	euid := os.Geteuid()
+	fileUID, _ := info.UID()
+	perm := info.Mode().Perm()
+
+	if euid != fileUID {
+		return fmt.Errorf(`config file ("%v") must be owned by the beat user `+
+			`(uid=%v)`, name, euid)
+	}
+
+	// Test if group or other have write permissions.
+	if perm&0022 > 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf(`config file ("%v") can only be writable by the `+
+			`owner but the permissions are "%v"`,
+			name, perm)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/common/config_test.go b/libbeat/common/config_test.go
index 1d4e9db7ca3..6e9f2a3cfae 100644
--- a/libbeat/common/config_test.go
+++ b/libbeat/common/config_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ package common
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -110,3 +113,38 @@ func TestConfigPrintDebug(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, test.expected, buf)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestConfigFilePermissions(t *testing.T) {
+	if !IsStrictPerms() {
+		t.Skip("Skipping test because strict.perms is disabled")
+	}
+
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "writableConfig.yml")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(f.Name())
+	defer f.Close()
+
+	f.WriteString(`test.data: [1, 2, 3, 4]`)
+	f.Sync()
+
+	if _, err = LoadFile(f.Name()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Permissions checking isn't implemented for Windows DACLs.
+	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
+		return
+	}
+
+	if err = os.Chmod(f.Name(), 0460); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// Read will fail because config is group writable.
+	_, err = LoadFile(f.Name())
+	if assert.Error(t, err, "expected writable error") {
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "writable")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo.go b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..05e9f2d2888
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package file
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// A FileInfo describes a file and is returned by Stat and Lstat.
+type FileInfo interface {
+	os.FileInfo
+	UID() (int, error) // UID of the file owner. Returns an error on non-POSIX file systems.
+	GID() (int, error) // GID of the file owner. Returns an error on non-POSIX file systems.
+}
+
+// Stat returns a FileInfo describing the named file.
+// If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
+func Stat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
+	return stat(name, os.Stat)
+}
+
+// Lstat returns a FileInfo describing the named file.
+// If the file is a symbolic link, the returned FileInfo
+// describes the symbolic link. Lstat makes no attempt to follow the link.
+// If there is an error, it will be of type *PathError.
+func Lstat(name string) (FileInfo, error) {
+	return stat(name, os.Lstat)
+}
+
+type fileInfo struct {
+	os.FileInfo
+	uid *int
+	gid *int
+}
+
+func (f fileInfo) UID() (int, error) {
+	if f.uid == nil {
+		return -1, errors.New("uid not implemented")
+	}
+
+	return *f.uid, nil
+}
+
+func (f fileInfo) GID() (int, error) {
+	if f.gid == nil {
+		return -1, errors.New("gid not implemented")
+	}
+
+	return *f.gid, nil
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_test.go b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..53aecf6bb93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+// +build !windows
+
+package file_test
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/libbeat/common/file"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestStat(t *testing.T) {
+	f, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "teststat")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(f.Name())
+
+	link := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "teststat-link")
+	if err := os.Symlink(f.Name(), link); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(link)
+
+	info, err := file.Stat(link)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	assert.True(t, info.Mode().IsRegular())
+
+	uid, err := info.UID()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	assert.EqualValues(t, os.Geteuid(), uid)
+
+	gid, err := info.GID()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	assert.EqualValues(t, os.Getegid(), gid)
+}
+
+func TestLstat(t *testing.T) {
+	link := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "link")
+	if err := os.Symlink("dummy", link); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer os.Remove(link)
+
+	info, err := file.Lstat(link)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	assert.True(t, info.Mode()&os.ModeSymlink > 0)
+
+	uid, err := info.UID()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	assert.EqualValues(t, os.Geteuid(), uid)
+
+	gid, err := info.GID()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	assert.EqualValues(t, os.Getegid(), gid)
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_unix.go b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_unix.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..68d60b1cb83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_unix.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+// +build !windows
+
+package file
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"syscall"
+)
+
+func stat(name string, statFunc func(name string) (os.FileInfo, error)) (FileInfo, error) {
+	info, err := statFunc(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	stat, ok := info.Sys().(*syscall.Stat_t)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, errors.New("failed to get uid/gid")
+	}
+
+	uid := int(stat.Uid)
+	gid := int(stat.Gid)
+	return fileInfo{FileInfo: info, uid: &uid, gid: &gid}, nil
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_windows.go b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_windows.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e6ae54ae35e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libbeat/common/file/fileinfo_windows.go
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+package file
+
+import (
+	"os"
+)
+
+func stat(name string, statFunc func(name string) (os.FileInfo, error)) (FileInfo, error) {
+	info, err := statFunc(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return fileInfo{FileInfo: info}, nil
+}
diff --git a/libbeat/scripts/Makefile b/libbeat/scripts/Makefile
index fdadc5d447a..37024f74544 100755
--- a/libbeat/scripts/Makefile
+++ b/libbeat/scripts/Makefile
@@ -301,7 +301,8 @@ stop-environment:
 .PHONY: write-environment
 write-environment:
 	mkdir -p ${BUILD_DIR}
-	echo "ES_HOST=${ES_HOST}" > ${BUILD_DIR}/test.env
+	echo "BEAT_STRICT_PERMS=false" > ${BUILD_DIR}/test.env
+	echo "ES_HOST=${ES_HOST}" >> ${BUILD_DIR}/test.env
 	echo "ES_PORT=9200" >> ${BUILD_DIR}/test.env
 	echo "ES_USER=beats" >> ${BUILD_DIR}/test.env
 	echo "ES_PASS=testing" >> ${BUILD_DIR}/test.env