Fix Unix Perms

License: PRO+ (Professional Edition or higher)
Plugin Type: File Action
Author: Diskover Data, Inc.

Overview

The Fix Unix Perms file action lets you change Unix file permissions (chmod) on files and directories indexed by Diskover—all from a simple web interface. Instead of logging into servers and running command-line tools, you can select files directly in Diskover and apply permission changes with a few clicks.

This is especially useful when you need to:

• Standardize permissions across large directory structures

• Fix permission problems after data migrations

• Quickly lock down or open up access to specific files

• Ensure directories meet security compliance requirements

Key Features:

• Octal permission setting – Configure target permissions using familiar Unix notation (755, 644, etc.)

• Recursive operations – Apply permissions to entire directory trees with one action

• Batch processing – Modify multiple files and directories in a single operation

• Background processing – Large operations run asynchronously so you can continue working

• Complete audit trail – See exactly which files were modified when the task completes

Use Cases

For System Administrators:

• Post-migration cleanup – After moving data from Windows or cloud storage, files often arrive with inconsistent permissions (commonly 777). Use Fix Unix Perms to quickly standardize them to secure defaults.

• Incident response – Immediately lock down compromised directories by removing world access, or restore permissions after a security event.

For Data Managers and Storage Teams:

• Shared workspace setup – Configure project directories with appropriate group permissions so team members can collaborate effectively.

• Compliance enforcement – Ensure directories containing sensitive data (financial records, healthcare information) have properly restricted access.

For All Users:

• Permission drift correction – Over time, files created by different users with varying umask settings can create inconsistent permissions. Batch-fix entire directories to restore order.

Understanding Unix Permissions

If you're not deeply familiar with Unix permissions, here's a quick primer to help you choose the right settings.

Unix permissions control who can read, write, and execute files. They're typically expressed as a three-digit octal number (like 755 or 644), where each digit represents permissions for a different group:

Each digit is a sum of permission values:

Common Permission Combinations:

Special Permissions:

Tip: When in doubt, 755 for directories and 644 for files is a safe, standard choice that allows reading while protecting against unauthorized modifications.

Requirements

Diskover Requirements:

• Diskover PRO+ license or higher

• Diskover Web and Admin components installed

• Celery task workers configured and running

Storage Requirements:

• The Celery worker process must have filesystem access to the indexed storage

• The worker must run as a user with permission to modify files on the target storage

Installation & Setup

Install the File Action Package

dnf install diskover-file-actions-fixperms

Restart Services

After installation, restart the necessary services:

# On the Diskover Web host
systemctl restart diskover-admin

# On all Diskover Task Worker hosts
systemctl restart celery

Configure the File Action

1. Log into Diskover Admin

2. Navigate to Configuration > Plugins > File Actions > Fix Permissions

3. Configure your desired default permission settings (see Configuration section below)

4. Save the configuration

Verify Installation

1. Log into the Diskover web interface

2. Select any file or directory

3. Click the Actions menu

4. Confirm that fix permissions appears in the list

Configuration

Configure the Fix Unix Perms file action through the Diskover Admin interface.

Location: Diskover Admin > Configuration > Plugins > File Actions > Fix Permissions

⚠️ Important: The default value of 777 (full access for everyone) is intentionally permissive for testing purposes. For production use, configure a more restrictive default such as 755 for directories or 644 for files.

Configuration Examples

Standard Secure Configuration (Recommended):

This is appropriate for most directory structures where files should be readable but not modifiable by non-owners.

Restrictive Configuration:

Use this for directories containing sensitive data that should not be accessible to general users.

Group Collaboration Configuration:

Ideal for shared project directories where team members need to create and modify files.

Usage Guide

Basic Workflow

Step 1: Select Files or Directories

1. Log into the Diskover web interface

2. Navigate to the index containing your target files

3. Use search or browse to locate the items you want to modify

4. Select items using the checkboxes:

   • Select individual files for targeted changes

   • Select directories to modify entire folder structures (when recursive mode is enabled)

   • You can select a mix of both files and directories

Step 2: Launch the File Action

1. With your items selected, click the Actions button in the toolbar

2. Select fix permissions from the dropdown menu

Step 3: Review and Submit

1. The Fix Permissions form displays showing:

   • Assigned Worker – The Celery worker that will process your request

   • Target Permissions – The permission value from your configuration

   • Selected Items – A table listing all files and directories you selected

2. Review the list to confirm you've selected the correct items

3. Click Submit to start the operation

Step 4: Monitor Progress

1. After submitting, you're redirected to the task status page

2. The page shows the current state:

   • PENDING – Task is queued, waiting for a worker

   • STARTED – Worker is actively processing

   • SUCCESS – All permissions have been changed

   • FAILURE – An error occurred (check the error message)

Step 5: Review Results

When the task completes successfully, the results page displays all modified paths. For recursive operations on large directories, this list can be extensive.

Working with Individual Files

When you need precise control over which files are modified:

1. Use Diskover's search to find specific files (by name, extension, size, etc.)

2. Select only the files you want to change

3. Submit the fix permissions action

This approach is useful when:

• You need to fix permissions on scattered files

• Different files in the same directory need different permissions

• You want to avoid modifying certain files

Working with Directories (Recursive Mode)

When you need to standardize permissions across entire directory trees:

1. Select the parent directory (or multiple directories)

2. Ensure recursive is enabled in the configuration

3. Submit the action

The worker will:

1. Apply the configured permissions to the selected directory

2. Traverse all subdirectories and files within

3. Apply the same permissions to every item found

Note: Large directories with thousands of files may take several minutes to process. The task runs in the background, so you can navigate away and check results later.

Common Tasks

Securing a project directory after migration:

1. Search for the project directory path

2. Select the top-level project folder

3. Run fix permissions with 755 configured

4. Verify with the results showing all modified paths

Preparing a shared workspace:

1. Navigate to the shared directory location

2. Select the directories that need group write access

3. Ensure configuration is set to 775 or 2775

4. Submit and verify team members can now create files

Emergency lockdown:

1. Quickly locate the affected directory

2. Select it (recursive mode will secure all contents)

3. With 700 configured, submit immediately

4. Verify only the owner can now access the directory

Security Considerations

Permission Value Selection

Choose permission values carefully based on your security requirements:

Recursive Operation Awareness

When recursive mode is enabled, a single action can modify permissions on thousands or millions of files. Before submitting:

• Verify you've selected the correct directory

• Understand that changes are applied immediately

• Note that original permissions are not automatically backed up

Access Control

Consider limiting access to this file action to administrators and trusted users who understand Unix permissions. Incorrectly applied permissions can:

• Break application functionality

• Expose sensitive data

• Lock users out of their files

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Verifying Permission Changes

After a task completes, verify the changes were applied:

# Check a single file
ls -la /path/to/file

# Check permissions in octal format
stat -c "%a %n" /path/to/file

# Check all files in a directory
find /path/to/directory -maxdepth 1 -exec stat -c "%a %n" {} \;

Debug Logging

For detailed troubleshooting, check the following log files:

Diskover Admin logs:

/var/log/diskover/diskover-admin.log

Celery worker logs:

/var/log/celery/worker.log

Web server logs (Nginx):

/var/log/nginx/error.log

To enable more detailed output, set the log level to DEBUG in your Diskover configuration.

NFS and Network Storage

If you're working with NFS-mounted storage and encounter issues:

1. Verify the NFS mount is read-write: mount | grep nfs

2. Check NFS export options on the server (especially no_root_squash if worker runs as root)

3. Test permission changes directly on the worker host before using the file action

Support

• Documentation: https://docs.diskoverdata.com

• Support Portal: https://support.diskoverdata.com

Last Updated: January 2026
Diskover Data, Inc.