I have been trying to find out the answer to this question since I started using macs several years ago. I have seen a lot of different answers but none that really say for sure. Native apps like iTunes.app, systemprefs.app, reminders.app, preview.app, ...etc, are my main concern. My system (which I have admin account) shows a second everyone with custom permissions for all these apps and myself with custom access. Of special concern is the systemprefs.app which shows wheel group account with read/write permissions. Here is a screen shot of one of the apps from finder (attached to this post). So, what permissions does your system have for these app files?
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What should native mac app permissions be?
- Thread starter rammer549
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Here is what all my default Apple apps show... same as yours. I have never changes any of this from default.
First of all, the Finder's UI for displaying and altering permissions is both confusing and over-simplified at the same time. Ideally, you need to use the Terminal. I certainly would not want to edit the permissions of system files with Terminal.
Next: why are you concerned? Is something not working properly?
Normally, system apps are owned by root, group wheel, with read/write permissions for the owner and read only permissions for everyone else.
Anything you've "dropped" into the /Applications folder will likely be owned by you (admin user), group admin, with the same permissions as above.
If you haven't messed with it, and everything works, then it's probably fine. You could try Repairing Permissions. This might be one case where it might do something useful. (Then again, it might not...!)
Next: why are you concerned? Is something not working properly?
Normally, system apps are owned by root, group wheel, with read/write permissions for the owner and read only permissions for everyone else.
Anything you've "dropped" into the /Applications folder will likely be owned by you (admin user), group admin, with the same permissions as above.
If you haven't messed with it, and everything works, then it's probably fine. You could try Repairing Permissions. This might be one case where it might do something useful. (Then again, it might not...!)
systemprefs.app ?
All of my native apps have the same permissions except SystemPreferences.app which has wheel group with read/write permissions.? I am asking about this because settings get changed on my system without explanation...like guest account getting enabled and bluetooth gets turned on? So, what about systemprefs.app? I assume that wheel should have read only like all the rest according to the previous two posts. Thanks for the input.
All of my native apps have the same permissions except SystemPreferences.app which has wheel group with read/write permissions.? I am asking about this because settings get changed on my system without explanation...like guest account getting enabled and bluetooth gets turned on? So, what about systemprefs.app? I assume that wheel should have read only like all the rest according to the previous two posts. Thanks for the input.
Settings changing (or not getting saved) is one thing; file attributes are another.
The former behaviour is certainly weird. I would suspect that the plist is not getting saved, rather than magically changing.
Note that in Mavx, user preferences are cached, so directly editing a plist file won't cause a change for some time. Using defaults command in Terminal will cause the cache to update.
The former behaviour is certainly weird. I would suspect that the plist is not getting saved, rather than magically changing.
Note that in Mavx, user preferences are cached, so directly editing a plist file won't cause a change for some time. Using defaults command in Terminal will cause the cache to update.