chmod 207 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 207 gives the owner write, the group no access, and everyone else read/write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 7 |
chmod 207 filename
chmod 207 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
| Group (g) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
| Others (o) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
Is chmod 207 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Any user can read this file — never use it for secrets such as keys or .env files.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
207 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 644.
chmod 207 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 207 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=w,g=,o=rwx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 207 /path/to/dir
# Note: -R applies the same mode to files and directories. Use find to treat them separately:
find /path/to/dir -type f -exec chmod 207 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
--w----rwx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 570 makes new directories 207. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 207 mean?
chmod 207 gives the owner write, the group no access, and everyone else read/write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 2 (write), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 7 (read/write/execute).
Is chmod 207 safe?
chmod 207 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 207 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 207 is represented as -w----rwx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=w,g=,o=rwx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: