chmod 553 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 553 gives the owner read/execute, the group read/execute, and everyone else write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 5 | |||
| Group (g) | 5 | |||
| Others (o) | 3 |
chmod 553 filename
chmod 553 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 5 |
r-x |
Read and execute | Can list and enter |
| Group (g) | 5 |
r-x |
Read and execute | Can list and enter |
| Others (o) | 3 |
-wx |
Write and execute | Can enter and create/delete files, but not list |
Is chmod 553 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace 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
553 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 555.
chmod 553 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 553 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rx,g=rx,o=wx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 553 /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 553 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-r-xr-x-wx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 224 makes new directories 553. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 553 mean?
chmod 553 gives the owner read/execute, the group read/execute, and everyone else write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 5 (read/execute), the group receives 5 (read/execute), and others receive 3 (write/execute).
Is chmod 553 safe?
chmod 553 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 553 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 553 is represented as r-xr-x-wx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rx,g=rx,o=wx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: