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    Hide folder in linux

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved IT Discussion
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    • LakshmanaL
      Lakshmana @scottalanmiller
      last edited by

      @scottalanmiller to hide personal folders hidden from other people

      scottalanmillerS F 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • scottalanmillerS
        scottalanmiller @Lakshmana
        last edited by

        @Lakshmana said in Hide folder in linux:

        @scottalanmiller to hide personal folders hidden from other people

        That makes no sense at all. Why would you want to hide them instead of stopping people from accessing them? Hidden has zero security benefits, literally zero. That's why I'm asking, I know of no possible purpose to hiding a folder.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
        • DashrenderD
          Dashrender
          last edited by

          @scottalanmiller it's usually a misunderstanding - they think they are getting security out of it - kinda the out of sight out of mind idea.

          Sadly the really bad guys don't fall for this - you need real security.

          scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • scottalanmillerS
            scottalanmiller @Dashrender
            last edited by

            @Dashrender said in Hide folder in linux:

            @scottalanmiller it's usually a misunderstanding - they think they are getting security out of it - kinda the out of sight out of mind idea.

            Sadly the really bad guys don't fall for this - you need real security.

            Hidden folder would ne fiind by accident. People would just find them.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • F
              Francesco Provino @Lakshmana
              last edited by

              @Lakshmana said in Hide folder in linux:

              @scottalanmiller to hide personal folders hidden from other people
              What? Just chmod go-r it…

              scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • scottalanmillerS
                scottalanmiller @Francesco Provino
                last edited by

                @Francesco-Provino said in Hide folder in linux:

                @Lakshmana said in Hide folder in linux:

                @scottalanmiller to hide personal folders hidden from other people
                What? Just chmod go-r it…

                Hiding folders: people have to "look" for your data, but it is all there.
                Security ACLs: People see your folders but can't see or access what is in them.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                • thwrT
                  thwr
                  last edited by

                  Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                  stacksofplatesS scottalanmillerS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                  • stacksofplatesS
                    stacksofplates
                    last edited by

                    Just to reiterate. Hidden files/directories begin with a period (~/.bashrc). They are "hidden" from normal view so if you type ls or ls -l they won't appear. But if you type ls -la then they are no longer hidden. It's not a security mechanism, it's just to keep things tidy. If you really want to secure something you'll need to change the mode:

                    chmod 0600 lakshmana:lakshmana file
                    

                    Or set an ACL

                    setfacl -m o::- file
                    

                    If it's a directory and you want default ACLs you will have to set the default and then apply the ACL.

                    setfacl -dm o::- dir/
                    setfacl -m o::- dir/
                    
                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • stacksofplatesS
                      stacksofplates @thwr
                      last edited by

                      @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                      Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                      Gnome has Seahorse built in so you can also use PGP (GPG) keys but I haven't been able to get the Nautilus integration to play nicely. So you can create a PGP key in Seahorse (it will take a little while to have enough entropy and then it will show up) and then encrypt a file with:

                      gpg --output <file.gpg> --encrypt --recipient [email protected] <original-file>
                      

                      Then decrypt with

                      gpg --output <file-to-save-as> --decrypt <file.gpg>
                      
                      thwrT 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • scottalanmillerS
                        scottalanmiller @thwr
                        last edited by

                        @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                        Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                        ACLs are to prevent other users accessing files. Encryption is to stop thieves who steal the drives from accessing them.

                        thwrT stacksofplatesS 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • thwrT
                          thwr @scottalanmiller
                          last edited by

                          @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                          @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                          Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                          ACLs are to prevent other users accessing files. Encryption is to stop thieves who steal the drives from accessing them.

                          Sure. I suggested encryption because it - depending on the type of encryption (loopback/partiton vs encrypted files) - brings also some obfuscation, for example in backups which are outside of what OP may control.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • thwrT
                            thwr @stacksofplates
                            last edited by

                            @stacksofplates said in Hide folder in linux:

                            @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                            Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                            Gnome has Seahorse built in so you can also use PGP (GPG) keys but I haven't been able to get the Nautilus integration to play nicely. So you can create a PGP key in Seahorse (it will take a little while to have enough entropy and then it will show up) and then encrypt a file with:

                            gpg --output <file.gpg> --encrypt --recipient [email protected] <original-file>
                            

                            Then decrypt with

                            gpg --output <file-to-save-as> --decrypt <file.gpg>
                            

                            I'm not much into *NIX desktop environments. Good to know.

                            stacksofplatesS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • stacksofplatesS
                              stacksofplates @thwr
                              last edited by

                              @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                              @stacksofplates said in Hide folder in linux:

                              @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                              Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                              Gnome has Seahorse built in so you can also use PGP (GPG) keys but I haven't been able to get the Nautilus integration to play nicely. So you can create a PGP key in Seahorse (it will take a little while to have enough entropy and then it will show up) and then encrypt a file with:

                              gpg --output <file.gpg> --encrypt --recipient [email protected] <original-file>
                              

                              Then decrypt with

                              gpg --output <file-to-save-as> --decrypt <file.gpg>
                              

                              I'm not much into *NIX desktop environments. Good to know.

                              Ya you're supposed to be able to right click and hit unencrypt or something like that and have it prompt for the password. I haven't been able to get that functionality to work but Seahorse holds PHP keys, SSH keys, passwords, etc. It's not bad.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • stacksofplatesS
                                stacksofplates @scottalanmiller
                                last edited by

                                @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                                @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                                Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                                ACLs are to prevent other users accessing files. Encryption is to stop thieves who steal the drives from accessing them.

                                Sure but encryption can act as a type of ACL.

                                scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • scottalanmillerS
                                  scottalanmiller @stacksofplates
                                  last edited by

                                  @stacksofplates said in Hide folder in linux:

                                  @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                                  @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                                  Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                                  ACLs are to prevent other users accessing files. Encryption is to stop thieves who steal the drives from accessing them.

                                  Sure but encryption can act as a type of ACL.

                                  Kind of, a shared password kind of ACL.

                                  stacksofplatesS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • stacksofplatesS
                                    stacksofplates @scottalanmiller
                                    last edited by

                                    @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                                    @stacksofplates said in Hide folder in linux:

                                    @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                                    @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                                    Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                                    ACLs are to prevent other users accessing files. Encryption is to stop thieves who steal the drives from accessing them.

                                    Sure but encryption can act as a type of ACL.

                                    Kind of, a shared password kind of ACL.

                                    Sure. Same as group based ACLs. But it's only shared if someone else has your password.

                                    scottalanmillerS 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • scottalanmillerS
                                      scottalanmiller @stacksofplates
                                      last edited by

                                      @stacksofplates said in Hide folder in linux:

                                      @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                                      @stacksofplates said in Hide folder in linux:

                                      @scottalanmiller said in Hide folder in linux:

                                      @thwr said in Hide folder in linux:

                                      Either use ACLs/Permissions or encrypt your data. You could use an encrypted loopback device (~"image file") for example, but this requires some background knowledge about the underlying technology.

                                      ACLs are to prevent other users accessing files. Encryption is to stop thieves who steal the drives from accessing them.

                                      Sure but encryption can act as a type of ACL.

                                      Kind of, a shared password kind of ACL.

                                      Sure. Same as group based ACLs. But it's only shared if someone else has your password.

                                      Not really a list unless you do 🙂

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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