chmod 404 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 404 gives the owner read, the group no access, and everyone else read.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 4 |
chmod 404 filename
chmod 404 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Group (g) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
| Others (o) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
Is chmod 404 Safe?
Low Risk
- Any user can read this file — never use it for secrets such as keys or .env files.
- Even the owner cannot modify this file without changing permissions first.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
404 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 400.
chmod 404 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 404 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=r,g=,o=r filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 404 /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 404 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r-----r-- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 373 makes new directories 404 and new files 404. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 404 mean?
chmod 404 gives the owner read, the group no access, and everyone else read. In octal notation, the owner receives 4 (read), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 4 (read).
Is chmod 404 safe?
chmod 404 is classified as Low Risk. Any user can read this file — never use it for secrets such as keys or .env files.
What is chmod 404 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 404 is represented as r-----r--. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=r,g=,o=r filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: