Permissions for UNIX Files and Directories

A file or directory owner can set access permissions bits for three classes: owner, group, and other. Set permissions in the following ways:

DD PATHMODE parameter in the JCL statement
chmod command
Calls from a program

Table 1 shows the UNIX permissions classes for UNIX files and directories. For more information on setting UNIX file permissions, see z/OS UNIX System Services Planning.

Owner class: The user ID of the file owner or creator.
Group class: The user IDs that belong to a specific UNIX group, such as the Information Technology department.
Other class: Any user ID that is not in the owner or group class. The other class usually has the most restrictive permissions.

Table 1. Access permissions for UNIX files and directories
UNIX file type	Security Settings
UNIX file type	Owner	Group	Other
Directory	search write read no access	search write read no access	search write read no access
File (member)	execute write read no access	execute write read no access	execute write read no access

BPAM OPEN verifies that you have UNIX search authority to each UNIX directory. The FIND and BLDL macros verify that you have UNIX read authority to each UNIX file. FIND and BLDL call UNIX OPEN. If the open fails because you do not have read authority to the UNIX file, FIND returns return code 8, reason code 20. A UNIX directory can contain files for which you do not have read authority. Ensure that the application program does not issue BLDL and FIND for those UNIX files.