chmod 742 Permission Explained
Summary: chmod 742 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read, and everyone else write.
| Class | Read (4) | Write (2) | Execute (1) | Octal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 | |||
| Group (g) | 4 | |||
| Others (o) | 2 |
chmod 742 filename
chmod 742 Breakdown
| Class | Digit | Symbolic | On a file | On a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner (u) | 7 |
rwx |
Full access | Full access: list, enter, create, delete |
| Group (g) | 4 |
r-- |
Read only | Can list names, but not enter |
| Others (o) | 2 |
-w- |
Write only (rarely useful) | No practical effect without x |
Is chmod 742 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
742 is uncommon in standard Linux setups. The closest widely used permission is chmod 740.
chmod 742 Command Examples
# Apply using octal mode
chmod 742 filename
# Apply using equivalent symbolic mode
chmod u=rwx,g=r,o=w filename
# Recursive command warning:
chmod -R 742 /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 742 {} +
# Verify permissions
stat -c '%a %A %n' filename # Linux
stat -f '%Lp %Sp %N' filename # macOS
# Example ls -l output:
-rwxr---w- 1 alice staff 1024 Jan 15 10:00 example.txtumask Relationship
A umask of 035 makes new directories 742. Test umask values with our interactive Umask Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does chmod 742 mean?
chmod 742 gives the owner read/write/execute, the group read, and everyone else write. In octal notation, the owner receives 7 (read/write/execute), the group receives 4 (read), and others receive 2 (write).
Is chmod 742 safe?
chmod 742 is classified as Critical Risk. Anyone on the system can modify or replace this file.
What is chmod 742 in symbolic notation?
In symbolic notation, chmod 742 is represented as rwxr---w-. You can apply this permission using the equivalent symbolic command "chmod u=rwx,g=r,o=w filename".
Related Permissions
Change one bit: