chmod 517 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 517 gives the owner read/execute, the group execute, and everyone else read/write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 5 | |||
| Group (g) | 1 | |||
| Others (o) | 7 |
chmod 517 filename
chmod 517 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 5 |
r-x |
Read and execute | Can list and enter |
| Group (g) | 1 |
--x |
Execute only | Can enter (cd) but not list contents |
| Others (o) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
Is chmod 517 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
517 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 555.
chmod 517 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 517 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rx,g=x,o=rwx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 517 /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 517 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r-x--xrwx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 260 makes new directories 517. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 517 mean?
chmod 517 gives the owner read/execute, the group execute, and everyone else read/write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 5 (read/execute), the group receives 1 (execute), and others receive 7 (read/write/execute).
Is chmod 517 safe?
chmod 517 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 517 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 517 is represented as r-x--xrwx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rx,g=x,o=rwx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: