Windows NTFS Permissions Are More Complex Than Linux's Simple Permission Model
A developer completing cybersecurity training on HackTheBox found Windows permissions significantly more confusing than Linux's after finishing the Windows Fundamentals module. While Linux uses a straightforward read/write/execute model displayed via the 'ls -l' command, Windows relies on the 'icacls' tool and Access Control Lists (ACLs) made up of multiple Access Control Entries. Windows distinguishes between two ACL types: DACLs, which govern who can access a resource and how permissions propagate, and SACLs, which log access attempts. Basic Windows permissions include six categories such as Full Access, Read/Execute, and Modify, though the GUI and command-line tool display these differently, adding to the confusion. The repeated entries seen in icacls output are not duplicates but separate lines conveying permissions and inheritance rules for subfolders respectively.
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