chmod 466 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 466 gives the owner read, the group read/write, and everyone else read/write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 | |||
| Group (g) | 6 | |||
| Others (o) | 6 |
chmod 466 filename
chmod 466 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Group (g) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
| Others (o) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
Is chmod 466 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Every member of the group can modify this file.
- 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
466 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 666.
chmod 466 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 466 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=r,g=rw,o=rw filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 466 /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 466 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r--rw-rw- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 311 makes new directories 466 and new files 466. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 466 mean?
chmod 466 gives the owner read, the group read/write, and everyone else read/write. In octal notation, the owner receives 4 (read), the group receives 6 (read/write), and others receive 6 (read/write).
Is chmod 466 safe?
chmod 466 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 466 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 466 is represented as r--rw-rw-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=r,g=rw,o=rw filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: