Contents File Protection Categories and Codes Setting or Changing File Protection on VMS Setting or Changing your Directory Protection on VMS Access Control Lists Setting and Changing your VMS Password Magnetic Tape Backup File Protection Categories and Codes VMS provides file protection codes for different categories of users. The four user categories include System, Owner, Group and World, and are always listed in this specific order. System users are the administrators of the VMS Timesharing Service itself. The Owner is the file creator or person who owns the file. Generally, most owners will grant themselves full access to their own files, unless they intentionally protect a file to safeguard against accidental deletion or modification.
Group refers to all accounts having the same group number as a particular owner.
The World category includes everyone in the general public. It is important to remember that access to individual files within a directory is also affected by Directory protection levels. System and Owner remain unchanged and have all privileges by default. System has all privileges, Owner has all privileges, and Group and World have no privileges. The syntax for removing all rights requires no colon.