chmod 422 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 422 gives the owner read, the group write, and everyone else write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 | |||
| Group (g) | 2 | |||
| Others (o) | 2 |
chmod 422 filename
chmod 422 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Group (g) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
| Others (o) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
Is chmod 422 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Every member of the group can modify this file.
- 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
422 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 400.
chmod 422 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 422 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=r,g=w,o=w filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 422 /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 422 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r---w--w- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 355 makes new directories 422 and new files 422. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 422 mean?
chmod 422 gives the owner read, the group write, and everyone else write. In octal notation, the owner receives 4 (read), the group receives 2 (write), and others receive 2 (write).
Is chmod 422 safe?
chmod 422 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 422 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 422 is represented as r---w--w-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=r,g=w,o=w filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: