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Should world writeable files be owned by root?

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strikelit

MIS
Sep 10, 2003
88
US
I wanted to know if world writeable files should or should not be owned by root.
 
It doesn't have to be a root owned! it can be any user! The world writeable permission is assigned to the file or the directory! so it is independent of the user in the case of being a wrold writeable! but if it is owned by another user, other than root, then this user will have the privilage to remove the world writeable permission from there coz he is the offical owner of the file!

Regards,
Khalid
 
As a general security principle, files owned by root should not be world writeable. This is because there are types of files (scripts, executables, configuration) that root owns that shouldn't be modifiable by everyone, and it's simpler to have the general rule than to try to specify which could be security risks and which wouldn't.

Plus it's the security risk you don't know about that'll get you. :)

- Rod



IBM Certified Advanced Technical Expert pSeries and AIX 5L
CompTIA Linux+
CompTIA Security+

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