How can I restrict access to a file to only system processes

[Edward Mugerwa]

Dear All;

I have a password file which I need to restrict to only system processes.

For example if a user issues more/vi/cat he should not get access. However, a background/cron Job process should.

All help welcome
Edward

[Arunvijai_4]

Hi Edward, Do you mean to say that, particular shouldn't read the file and his cron or background job can read it ? Am i clear with your question ? Or only background process start by root can able to read this out ?

-Arun

[Bharat Katkar]

Edward,
I think sudo utility may help you out.
Regards,

[RAC_1]

Keep it owned by root:root and read perms for root only. This should do it.

[Edward Mugerwa]

Yes, I have a list of background process and only these should read from the file. No use should be able to read the contents of the file apart from root of course

[Arunvijai_4]

Just change the ownership to root:root

-Arun

[Edward Mugerwa]

But the processes are not owned by root and shouldn't be owned by root. Two users own the background processes user1 and user2.

If I restrict access to root only will the cron jobs for these users have access to the processes.

[Edward Mugerwa]

correction!!
============
But the processes are not owned by root and shouldn't be owned by root. Two users own the background processes user1 and user2.

If I restrict FILE access to root only will the cron jobs for these users have access to the FILE.