Directory Access Permissions - permission to do what?

• For a Directory, 'read' means permission to view the list of Files in the Directory.
• 'write' means permission to create new Files in the Directory.
• 'execute' means permission to access Files in the Directory.
• Thus, in order to be able to read the contents of a File, the User must have 'execute' permission on all Directories on the way to the File, and 'read' permission on the File itself.
• For example, in order to read the File "/etc/passwd", the User must have all of the following permissions:
  • 'x' permission on Directory "/"
  • 'x' permission on Directory "/etc"
  • 'r' permission on the File "/etc/passwd" itself

Originally written by guy keren