UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi Unix Gurus,

I'm a newbie to unix and need some help from you.

I'm going to give full access (777) to a subdirectory to an FTP account.

Let's say the subdirectory is
/usr/local/dir1/dir2/dir3

There are files in dir1, say
a.txt
b.cfg
c.xml

Will this account be able to access and modify the above 3 files lying in one of the parent directory of dir3?

Thanks in Advance!

- xinu299

No, they can only do in the parent directory what the permissions are set to do for the parent directory.

PS: do not use any directory from /usr on down as a place for ftp-ers to place files - this directory tree bleongs only to the local system - user files should not be there. FTP should not be going in there to get files, either. For a variety of reasons.

Hi Jim,

Thanks for your response.

So, if the file in the parent directory has the following permission (755)

say

-rwxr-xr-x 1 admin apps 2 Nov 20 03:25 a.txt

The FTP account should be able to navigate back up to dir1 and read this file. Right?

Also, thanks for your tips on avoiding the use of /usr path for giving FTP access.

I'll keep that in mind.

- xinu299

Yes. the ftp user can see the file and read it. Assuming the parent directory has at least execute (nnnnnn--x) permissions. Which it has to have already had to allow the user to have gotten into the child directory in the first place.