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umask in Debian

This is a draft page to keep track of the discussions the default umask value in Debian. umask is a program to set file permissions.

Default value

Umask was set to 022 by base-files until 5.4, where it was changed to 002. However, starting from base-files version 5.7, umask is set by pam_umask, which currently defaults again to 022.

The changes in base-files only took effect on freshly installed systems. An umask of 002 gives write permission to the other group members. By default, Debian uses “user private groups” (UPG). Under this scheme, each user has his own private group, that is not to be shared with any other user.

Discussions about its default value

• http://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/m0piQuw-0002dGC.ijackson@nyx.cs.du.edu (and other threads that month)

• http://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/20000606124318.C31198@gerf.org

• http://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/4BE830C8.5050009@gmail.com

Related bugs (incomplete list)

• base-files 248140, 581434, 581666, 583967

• Release Notes: 581729

• Securing Debian Manual: 581753

• openssh 581919

• libpam-modules 315089, 581984, 583958

• smbldap-tools 582388

• login 583971

Documentation to update

• The Debian Reference

• DebianDesktopHowTo

• DeveloperNews

Issues with a value of 022

Issues with a value of 002

Others

There is a parallel discussion at Ubuntu: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MultiUserManagement.