2010-01-10, 15:58
And yet it still can be because of files... On every multiuser platforms there has to be some scheme to both, let certain users to hassle with files and, prohibit certain users to hassle with files. In Windows we have ACL and on unix side, I quess we just call them file permissions. Or at least lets call them that now. On both systems, if you create a file/directory as "root" user, most likely creator and owner of the file/directory is "root". And that is why user could have hard time to write to those locations. On windows on the other hand Access Control List can be inherited to the subdirectories, so no matter who creates the files, the might in future belong to the "owner" of original directory. Both Windows and *nix world also prohibit user to write to another user's "home" or as it goes in Windows %SystemRoot%\Users\[username], or %SystemRoot%\Docume.... Well, you must get the idea by now. But if and only if rights are configured wrong, it can be done and then I would wish best luck with malware or malicious users.
It is not user's fault that these concepts are not always known, but instead modern Linux distributions and Windows (and even OSX) make a good work at hiding this information from user. On the one hand it makes learning curve less steep, but on another it also makes these platforms very vulnerable for attacs, if systems are not configured correct. I've seen way too many "tutorials" that explain users how to change system so that normal user accounts can run commands meant for only root access. This is true with especially Ubuntu and I'm waiting for worm epidemics...
So. Just open terminal and perform command "ls -la" in previously directories defined in previous posts. If you dont know how to travel in directories, read some tutorial on "bash" shell.
from ls man page:
-l shows also information about author. Another option you might use on other occasions is -h (human readable)
Edit:
Here is a brief howto concerning Linux File Permissions
It is not user's fault that these concepts are not always known, but instead modern Linux distributions and Windows (and even OSX) make a good work at hiding this information from user. On the one hand it makes learning curve less steep, but on another it also makes these platforms very vulnerable for attacs, if systems are not configured correct. I've seen way too many "tutorials" that explain users how to change system so that normal user accounts can run commands meant for only root access. This is true with especially Ubuntu and I'm waiting for worm epidemics...
So. Just open terminal and perform command "ls -la" in previously directories defined in previous posts. If you dont know how to travel in directories, read some tutorial on "bash" shell.
from ls man page:
Code:
NAME
ls - list directory contents
SYNOPSIS
ls [OPTION]... [FILE]...
-a, --all
do not ignore entries starting with .
-l use a long listing format-l shows also information about author. Another option you might use on other occasions is -h (human readable)
Edit:
Here is a brief howto concerning Linux File Permissions
