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Glite Dictionary
💻 A Unix command 🗂️ A restricted folder 🔒 To restrict access
chroot

chroot

1 9.9
A limited folder area that acts as the top folder for a program to keep it isolated from the system
  • noun
  • /ˈʧruːt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : chroot
  • It also uses a chroot() sandbox, so it effectively has two sandboxes.

Examples

  • This is openSUSE running in chroot and LXDE in fullscreen Xephyr: http://susepaste.org/44058843.

    Blog text (32)

  • I compile Wine from source all the time, but I wouldn't even suggest the process to my non-geek friends, particularly when you need to set up a 32-bit chroot if you're running a 64-bit distro.

    Blog text (4)

  • Some of these attacks can be mitigated by running the scanner with its own user ID in a chroot jail.

    Academic text (2011)

  • However, doing so requires highly privileged, application-specific code to set up the chroot environment and risks breaking the scanner or one of its helper programs due to missing files.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The program is running in a chroot environment to prevent unauthorized access to the system.

  • To enhance security, we installed the software inside a chroot to isolate its effects.

  • By using a chroot, we can limit the application's access to only the necessary directories.

Synonyms

sandbox
vschroot
  • Specialized
14 5.4

A safe area on a computer where new or unsafe programs can run

limits the process to a directory tree without extra safety controls
jail
vschroot
  • Specialized
8 7.9

A separate area on a computer that keeps a program away from the rest of the system

limits the process to a directory tree without restricting other system resources

How Isolated

hypervisor
  • Specialized
3 8.2
sandbox
  • Specialized
14 5.4
container
  • Specialized
14 4.1
chroot
  • Specialized
1 9.9
normality
13 3.5

Surface Forms

chroot singular
chroots plural

Morphology

chroot = root (semi-transparent) = ch + root

The compound evokes 'change root' (i.e., a root directory), but 'ch' is an abbreviation/clipping used in computing jargon and may not be obvious to non-technical learners.

Etymology

Chroot comes from ch- (short for 'change') and root (the 'top' directory of a computer). Think of a chroot as a small, separate 'root' home for a program, which is why it is a restricted environment that keeps the program away from the main system.