chmod 733 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 733 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group write/execute, and everyone else write/execute.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 3 | |||
| Others (o) | 3 |
chmod 733 filename
chmod 733 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| Group (g) | 3 |
-wx |
Write and execute | Can enter and create/delete files, but not list |
| Others (o) | 3 |
-wx |
Write and execute | Can enter and create/delete files, but not list |
Is chmod 733 Safe?
Critical Risk
- Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
- Every member of the group can modify this file.
Common Use Cases
733 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 777.
chmod 733 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 733 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=wx,o=wx filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 733 /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 733 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwx-wx-wx 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 044 makes new directories 733. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 733 mean?
chmod 733 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group write/execute, and everyone else write/execute. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 3 (write/execute), and others receive 3 (write/execute).
Is chmod 733 safe?
chmod 733 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 733 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 733 is represented as rwx-wx-wx. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=wx,o=wx filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: