chmod 703 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 703 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group no access, and everyone else write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 0 | |||
| Others (o) | 3 |
chmod 703 filename
chmod 703 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| Group (g) | 0 |
--- |
No access | Cannot list, enter, or modify |
| Others (o) | 3 |
-wx |
Write and execute | Can enter and create/delete files, but not list |
Is chmod 703 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Unusual: a lower class has permissions the class above it lacks.
Common Use Cases
703 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 700.
chmod 703 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 703 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=,o=wx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 703 /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 703 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwx----wx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 074 makes new directories 703. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 703 mean?
chmod 703 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group no access, and everyone else write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 0 (no access), and others receive 3 (write/execute).
Is chmod 703 safe?
chmod 703 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 703 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 703 is represented as rwx----wx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=,o=wx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: