Cybersecurity Triage
Read-only, can be slowFind World-Writable Web Directories
You need to find directories under a web root that anyone can write to.
Command
find srv/www -type d -perm -0002 -printBefore you run this
System impact: Read-only. Can create load on large logs, directories, filesystems, or process tables.
When not to use it: Do not chmod paths blindly; confirm application requirements and ownership first.
Expected output
World-writable directories under srv/www.
System impact
Read-only, can be slow. Nothing changes. The command prints directories with the world-writable bit set.
Scope this to the smallest useful path or service on busy systems.
Recovery / rollback: no state is changed.
When to use it
Use during server hardening, web incident triage, or after upload-path changes.
When not to use it
Do not chmod paths blindly; confirm application requirements and ownership first.
next steps
Related commands
Find Writable Directories Missing the Sticky Bit
A writable log directory is not the same thing as a safe shared directory.
find /srv/www/example -type d -perm -0002 ! -perm -1000 -printf '%m %u:%g %p\n' 2>/dev/null | sort
Find Upload Files Writable Outside the Owner
Uploads are supposed to be writable at the edge, not writable forever by everyone.
find /srv/www/example/shared/uploads -type f -perm /0022 -printf '%M %u:%g %p\n' 2>/dev/null | sort
Find Config Files with Execute Bits
Config files do not usually need to be executable.
find /srv/www/example -type f -perm /111 \( -path '*/config/*' -o -name '*.env' -o -name '*.conf' \) -printf '%M %u:%g %p\n' 2>/dev/null | sort
Find World-Readable Secret-Looking Files
The fastest secret audit starts with readable files that look like secrets.
find /srv/www/example -type f -perm -0004 \( -iname '*secret*' -o -iname '*.env' -o -iname '*token*' -o -iname '*key*' \) -printf '%M %u:%g %p\n' 2>/dev/null | sort
Find SUID, SGID, and Sticky Bits in an App Tree
Special bits are easy to miss in a long ls listing.
find /srv/www/example -perm /7000 -printf '%M %m %u:%g %p\n' 2>/dev/null | sort
Study mapping
Use this as independent command practice: read the notes, predict the output, then compare it with the example before using a real shell.
Independent study support only. No affiliation, endorsement, exam dumps, or real exam questions.