Unable to access files with SGID bit on.

[Chern Jian Leaw]

HI,

I would like to access files/directories in which I have its group access. I'm a member of the group psc. However, I'm not the owner of those files/directories.

#cd /proj
#ls -l
drwxrws--- 7 ptm psc .... design_db
drwxrws--- 2 ptm psc .... debug_utils
drwxr-sr-x 6 ptm psc .... validation_tools

#cd design_db
design_db: Permission denied

#cd debug_utils
debug utils: Permission denied

#cd validation_tools
#ls -l
-rw-r-xr-x 2 ptm psc .... README

From the output above, I'm however able to access files/directories having permissions 755 or 555 i.e anything which has the universal access turned-on.

Seems like the system is still treating me like other users and not as member of the psc group.

I'm attempting to access these directories in a NIS domain which I do not have root access.

Is there any other method which I'm able to access these files? As a member of the psc group, I can't understand why I'm unable to access these directories.

Could any one help me out in this matter?

Thanks.

[Michael Tully]

The man page for 'chmod' will tell you that the mode for using ?rwx-rws is for files only.

2000 (= g=s) Set group ID on file execution (file only)

You best bet is to either change the mode to

drwxrwx (770) or drwxr-sr-x (2755) the same as your sub-directory 'validation_tools'

[Bill Hassell]

Is psc your primary group? If not, are you running 10.20? Type the command: id

It will show all the groups in which you are a member. If psc does not show up there, then you are not a member, despite what /etc/group says. Prior to 11.0, to be a member of multiple groups, you would have to be listed in /etc/logingroup as well. The workaround for 10.20 and earlier is to create a symlink from logingroup to group. Once in place, the id command will report your other group(s) anhd you will have group rights.

[Chern Jian Leaw]

Bill,

I have the /etc/logingroup symbolically linked to /etc/groups, since it's a HP 10.20.
However, the psc group which I'm a member of exists in the NIS master server, and it's NOT my primary group.

Do you mean to say I need to have the group psc in the /etc/logingroup? I already have it in the /var/yp/src/group file in the NIS master server.

The contents of my /etc/logingroup looks as follows:
nobody2:*:-2:
wheel:*mikej:0:ken_lee, asamuel, ... (my user name is not here)
sys:*:3:bin, ... (not in this group too)
adm:*:14:adm, steve
mail:*:6:root
nogroup:*:-2
+:*::

The group psc does not exists in the /etc/logingroup nor in the /etc/group file.

Are there any other alternatives to this problem besides one possibile solution from Michael Tully?

Thanks.