/dev/console

[harmt01]

Why would the rights on this file change just out of the blue? No patches...No new program...Was 600 changed to 622

Is there a good reson for this happening?
Can I just change it back?

[Pete Randall · Accepted solution]

All my machines have /dev/console permissions of 622. You can change it back but I would be willing to bet that it will end up getting changed again.


Pete

[harmt01]

OK, if you have 622 I'm good with that.

Thanks

[TTr]

There is probably someone logged in at console and has the "mesg" setting set to "y". No need for you to change the settings.

[TTr]

The /dev/console permission mode is like that of any file.

622 means
user owner : read/write
group owner : write
others : write

So anybody can write text to the console device by using the "write" command and this can mess up your display in the middle of you doing some critical work.

To turn off write access to the console device use the "mesg" command and set it to "n", i.e. "mesg n". The check the permissions again and they should be set to 600.

You should put the "mesg -n" command in the profile!!!

[harmt01]

....