chmod 103 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 103 gives the owner execute, the group no access, and everyone else write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 1 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 3 |
chmod 103 filename
chmod 103 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 1 |
--x |
Execute only | Can enter (cd) but not list contents |
| Group (g) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
| Others (o) | 3 |
-wx |
Write and execute | Can enter and create/delete files, but not list |
Is chmod 103 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Even the owner cannot modify this file without changing permissions first.
- Scripts need read permission to run; only compiled binaries can be executed without it.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
103 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 500.
chmod 103 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 103 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=x,g=,o=wx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 103 /path/to/dir
# Note: -R applies the same mode to files and directories. Use find to treat them separately:
find /path/to/dir -type d -exec chmod 103 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
---x----wx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 674 makes new directories 103. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 103 mean?
chmod 103 gives the owner execute, the group no access, and everyone else write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 1 (execute), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 3 (write/execute).
Is chmod 103 safe?
chmod 103 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 103 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 103 is represented as --x----wx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=x,g=,o=wx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: