chmod 665 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 665 gives the owner read/write, the group read/write, and everyone else read/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 6 | |||
| Group (g) | 6 | |||
| Others (o) | 5 |
chmod 665 filename
chmod 665 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
| Group (g) | 6 |
rw- |
Read and write | Can list names, cannot enter |
| Others (o) | 5 |
r-x |
Read and execute | Can list and enter |
Is chmod 665 Safe?
Moderate
- 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.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
665 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 664.
chmod 665 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 665 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rw,g=rw,o=rx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 665 /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 665 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rw-rw-r-x 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 112 makes new directories 665. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 665 mean?
chmod 665 gives the owner read/write, the group read/write, and everyone else read/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 6 (read/write), the group receives 6 (read/write), and others receive 5 (read/execute).
Is chmod 665 safe?
chmod 665 is classified as Moderate. Every member of the group can modify this file.
What is chmod 665 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 665 is represented as rw-rw-r-x. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rw,g=rw,o=rx filename".
Related Permissions
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