chmod 507 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 507 gives the owner read/execute, the group no access, and everyone else read/write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 5 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 7 |
chmod 507 filename
chmod 507 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 5 |
r-x |
Read and execute | Can list and enter |
| Group (g) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
| Others (o) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
Is chmod 507 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.
- 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
507 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 555.
chmod 507 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 507 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rx,g=,o=rwx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 507 /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 507 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r-x---rwx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 270 makes new directories 507. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 507 mean?
chmod 507 gives the owner read/execute, the group no access, and everyone else read/write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 5 (read/execute), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 7 (read/write/execute).
Is chmod 507 safe?
chmod 507 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 507 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 507 is represented as r-x---rwx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rx,g=,o=rwx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: