How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

[kyonides]

I know apps like Konqueror and Dolphin have an option that lets you hide or show hidden files but how do I make it impossible for common users to visualize them at all?

[skunk]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

Change the owner / group and permissions to something that a "common user" cant access

[Rog131]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

The "hidden" files are not a security thing they are convenience thing.

> Listing Filenames and Attributes in UNIX

Hidden Files
Filenames in UNIX can contain almost any character and start with almost any character. However, filenames starting with a "." (dot, period) are often called hidden files because they don't show up in a regular ls command and you don't get rid of them with a rm * command. It is common for UNIX tools to create "dot" files for temporary files and to maintain control and history information. Users are also expected to create them as configuration files.

If you want to "hide" things from the common users you could use the encryption.


Simply right click a file/directory > Actions > Encrypt ...

[img width=400 height=278]http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3261/encrypt.jpg[/img]

The service menu is from the package: kgpg

Description: encryption utility for KDE 4
Kgpg manages cryptographic keys for the GNU Privacy Guard, and can encrypt,
decrypt, sign, and verify files. It features a simple editor for applying
cryptography to short pieces of text, and can also quickly apply cryptography
to the contents of the clipboard.
.
This package is part of the KDE 4 utilities module.
Homepage: http://www.kde.org/
Bugs: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+filebug

More > Encrypted Filesystem Howto

[dibl]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

If you want to "hide" things from the common users you could use the encryption.

Hmmmmmm.

If, after all the existing dot files are encrypted, one of these commoners runs a package like audacity or devede for the first time, won't it create a new, unencrypted .audacity or .devede file? It seems the sysadmin will be chasing the users every day to see if they have created more dot files.

[Rog131]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

As i said the "hidden" files are not a security thing they are convenience thing.

You can't hide things from the users if they have an access to the machine. They can start the machine from an external media (usb stick) and mount the partitions. Then they can read,write or modify the "hidden" data.


Convenient view (at here).
[img width=400 height=329]http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/7600/clean0.png[/img]


Showing everything.
[img width=400 height=394]http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3467/messyf.jpg[/img]

[dibl]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

As i said the "hidden" files are not a security thing they are convenience thing.

You can't hide things from the users if they have an access to the machine. They can start the machine from an external media (usb stick) and mount the partitions. Then they can read,write or modify the "hidden" data.

Right.

@kyonides -- I think you have to make your users promise not to mess with dot files, before they get a login.

[Rog131]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

In the past, with the Kubuntu 6.10, there was an experiment to hide the root directories (> FF):

Hidden Files

Some may have noticed that in the Edgy release, when you would open the "Save" or "Open" dialog, all you would see is your home and media directories, due to the root directory and subdirectories being hidden.

That experiment was not a popular one (> Kubuntu 6.10 Released):

> the /home and /media thing is not a bug, it's on purpose, you can still
> access the directory you like like by entering it in the file dialog.
Well, if this is the case then they've crippled a well working system beyond a level not even the Evil from Redmond would expect of it's users!

:P

[dibl]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

Right -- all attempts at "idiot-proofing" have such limits.

Happily, the only thing that will be damaged by fooling around with dot files is the idiot's own /home folder and session. And then, kyonides can charge $50.00 to fix the idiot's login (by secretly deleting all the dot files and making him log in again).

See, there is justice!

[kyonides]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

I thought someone would suggest something related to Kiosk but I guess I was wrong from the very beginning. I already knew the dots didn't appear in Linux to provide some extra security level but just to make some common files invisible. I hope that in a network environment I could just use a script that could delete the dotted files at logout and recreat it during the setup or login process.

[oshunluvr]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

The hidden files are only "secure" from the most novice of users. Rog has it right - it's really a convenience option rather than the windows idea of "secret" files.

[toad]

Re: How do I keep hidden files hidden from common OS users?

I thought someone would suggest something related to Kiosk but I guess I was wrong from the very beginning. I already knew the dots didn't appear in Linux to provide some extra security level but just to make some common files invisible. I hope that in a network environment I could just use a script that could delete the dotted files at logout and recreat it during the setup or login process.

Kiosk has not been ported to KDE4 yet

And why would you want to delete all the dot files? Are we talking about a multitude of users using one account or does everyone receive their own account?

Whatever, as for deleting whatever at logout I suppose you could write a script to suit your needs and stick it in ~/.kde/shutdown

Also, to adjust the desktop experience of a new user you play with /etc/skel