Permissions & Security (Chmod/Chown/ACLs/SELinux/AppArmor)
Stop ACLs from causing permission ghosting
🧩 The Challenge
Ever notice how a user can’t write to a directory even when ls -l shows they have permission? It’s usually because an Access Control List is hiding in the background, overriding the standard bits you’ve been looking at for years.
đź’ˇ The Fix
Start using getfacl to actually see the mess, then wipe the extra noise away with setfacl so your standard Unix permissions actually do what you expect them to. It saves you from guessing why files are locked up.
getfacl -R /path/to/directory
setfacl -b /path/to/directory⚙️ Why It Works
Adding that little plus sign to the end of your permission string in ls means there is an ACL attached, which the standard chmod command completely ignores. Removing them flattens the file back to basic owner/group/other logic.
🚀 Pro-Tip: Always check for the plus sign after the mode bits in ls output before you start blaming the kernel.
Linux Tips & Tricks | © ngelinux.com | 7/28/2026