Linux File Permissions
Explain Linux file permissions. What does the permission 'rwxr-xr--' mean?
Explain Linux file permissions. What does the permission 'rwxr-xr--' mean?
Linux file permissions are divided into three groups: owner, group, and others. Each has read (r), write (w), and execute (x) permissions. 'rwxr-xr--' means: owner has full access (rwx), group can read and execute (r-x), others can only read (r--). Use chmod to modify permissions and chown to change ownership.
File permissions are fundamental to Linux security. They control who can read, write, or execute files. Understanding permissions is essential for troubleshooting access issues, setting up secure deployments, and managing shared resources in team environments.
View and modify permissions
Change ownership
- Setting chmod 777 on production files (security risk)
- Forgetting that directories need execute permission for traversal
- Not understanding the difference between numeric and symbolic notation
- What is the difference between chmod 755 and chmod 777?
- How do special permissions like setuid, setgid, and sticky bit work?
- What is umask and how does it affect default file permissions?
More Linux interview questions
Also worth your time on this topic
How to Change File and Folder Permissions Recursively in Linux
Learn how to use chmod command to change permissions for directories and all their subdirectories and files efficiently and safely.
Environment Variables
What are environment variables and how do you use them in Linux? How do you make them persistent?
junior
Securing Your Linux Server: Essential First Steps
Harden a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 server by creating a non-root user, locking down SSH, configuring a firewall with UFW, and setting up fail2ban to block brute-force attacks.
45 minutes