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setuid

setuid

1 9.9
Having a file permission that lets a program run with its owner's rights
  • adjective
  • Specialized
: setuid
  • The administrator checked which files were marked as setuid to ensure system safety.

Examples

  • A setuid program can be a security risk if not properly managed.

  • Only trusted utilities should be installed as setuid executables on a multi-user system.

  • The program is setuid to enhance security.

  • Is this file setuid for the user?

  • The setuid program allows users to execute it with the file owner's permissions, enhancing security.

  • By using the setuid attribute, the application can run tasks that require elevated privileges seamlessly.

  • Administrators often assign the setuid flag to executables to enable safer operations for non-privileged users.

Surface Forms

setuid positive

Etymology

Setuid comes from the pieces set + user + ID, where set means 'to put' and user ID means 'who you are on the computer'. So a setuid program is one that 'runs with the owner's identity' instead of the person who starts it.