file permissions

A set of permissions associated with a file (or a directory) that specifies who can access the file and in what way. There are three basic permissions:

• Read permission lets you read files.
• Write permission lets you write (or overwrite) files.
• Execute permission lets you execute files.

Additional file permissions vary according to the operating system in use and the security system in place. For example, Novell NetWare has the following file permissions: Access Control, Create, Erase, File Scan, Modify, Read, Supervisor, and Write. Microsoft Windows 2000 has Add and Read, Change Permissions, Delete, Full Control, No Access, and Take Ownership.

See also rights.