Change file and folder permissions with cPanel

It is often required for a script installation to change the permissions for one or several files or folders.
Here's a guide to do just that if you are using the famous server administration interface Cpanel.

Understanding permissions :

Unix operating systems work with access permissions to files and folders. This enables the OS to deal with requests to files.
There are three types of access:

Read - Denoted as r, files with read access can be displayed to the user.
Write - Denoted as w, files with write access can be modified by the user.
Execute - Denoted as x, files with execute access can be executed as programs by the user.

There are three types of user groups that can have such permissions:

User - The owner of the file. (server)
Group - Files in the same folder or group (a php file for example. could access another file in the same directory if Group permission is set to read permission.)
World - Everyone else. (visitor, other servers...)

A few example of basic permission settings :
- Html files and images need to be visible - readable - to the visitor. 644 is a permission that suits this setting, 644 means readable and writable by user (think of it as you.) accessible by the Group and the World. This is the automatic setting when uploading a file.
- Folders need the 755 value, user has all permissions, group and world can execute and read the folders. Automatic setting when you create a folder.

No folder should be writable by everyone else (World) otherwise they can be deleted.

To change file or folder permissions:

Step 1: Open your File Manager and navigate to the file or folder that you need to change.

Step 2: Click on the name of the file or folder.

Step 3: Click on the Change Permissions link in the top menu of the File Manager page.

Step 4: Click on as many check boxes as you require to create the right permission. The permission numbers underneath the check boxes will update automatically.

Step 5: Click on the Change Permissions button when you are ready. The new permission level is saved and the display updated to show the modified file.