File System Questions Medium
File system file ownership refers to the concept of assigning ownership rights and permissions to files within a file system. It determines which users or groups have the authority to access, modify, or delete specific files.
In most file systems, each file is associated with an owner, typically identified by a unique user identifier (UID) or username. The owner has the highest level of control over the file and can perform actions such as reading, writing, executing, and changing permissions. The owner also has the ability to change the ownership of the file to another user or group.
Apart from the owner, file systems also allow for the assignment of group ownership. A group is a collection of users who share common access rights to files. By assigning group ownership to a file, all members of that group gain certain permissions to the file, as defined by the file system's access control mechanism.
Additionally, file systems provide the concept of other ownership, which refers to all users who are not the owner or part of the group. The permissions granted to others can be more restricted compared to the owner and group, ensuring that unauthorized users have limited or no access to the file.
File ownership plays a crucial role in maintaining security and controlling access to files within a file system. It allows administrators to define and enforce access policies, ensuring that only authorized individuals or groups can interact with specific files.