Cacls Explained

In Microsoft Windows, cacls, and its replacement icacls, are native command-line utilities capable of displaying and modifying the security descriptors on folders and files.^{[1] [2]} An access-control list is a list of permissions for securable object, such as a file or folder, that controls who can access it. The cacls command is also available on ReactOS.

cacls

cacls
Developer:	Microsoft, Thomas Weidenmueller
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows, ReactOS
Genre:	Command
License:	Windows: Proprietary commercial software ReactOS: GNU Lesser General Public License

The cacls.exe utility is a deprecated command line editor of directory and file security descriptors in Windows NT 3.5 and later operating systems of the Windows NT family.^[3] Microsoft has produced the following newer utilities, some also subsequently deprecated, that offer enhancements to support changes introduced with version 3.0 of the NTFS filesystem:

• xcacls.exe^{[4] [5] [6] [7]} is supported by Windows 2000 and later and adds new features like setting Execute, Delete and Take Ownership permissions
• xcacls.vbs^{[8] [9]}
• fileacl.exe ^[10]
• icacls.exe (included in Windows Server 2003 SP2 and later)^{[11] [12]}
• SubInAcl.exe - Resource Kit utility to set and replace permissions on various type of objects including files, services and registry keys
• Windows PowerShell (Get-Acl^[13] and Set-Acl^[14] cmdlets)

The ReactOS version was developed by Thomas Weidenmueller and is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License.

icacls

icacls
Developer:	Microsoft
Operating System:	Microsoft Windows
Genre:	Command
License:	Proprietary commercial software

Stands for Integrity Control Access Control List. Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 and later include icacls, an in-box command-line utility that can display, modify, backup and restore ACLs for files and folders, as well as to set integrity levels and ownership in Vista and later versions.^[15] It is not a complete replacement for cacls, however. For example, it does not support Security Descriptor Definition Language (SDDL) syntax directly via command line parameters (only via the /restore option).

See also

• SetACL
• chmod
• takeown

Further reading

• Web site: Cacls. Microsoft Windows XP Professional Product Documentation. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011.
• Web site: Xcacls Overview. Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 28 March 2003.
• Web site: DACLs and ACEs. Microsoft Developers Network. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 15 November 2011.
• Web site: Tony. Bradley. Introduction to Windows Integrity Control. SecurityFocus. Symantec. 24 December 2011. 2 November 2010.
• The Security Descriptor Definition Language of Love (Part 1)

External links

• cacls | Microsoft Docs
• icacls | Microsoft Docs

Notes and References

1. Web site: Microsoft DOS cacls command . Computer Hope . 24 December 2011.
2. Web site: CACLS.exe . SS64.com . 24 December 2011.
3. Web site: MS-DOS and Windows command line calcs command.
4. Web site: How to use Xcacls.exe to modify NTFS permissions (Revision: 4.5). Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 2 March 2007.
5. Web site: Xcacls syntax. Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft Corporation. 30 October 2012. 28 March 2003.
6. Web site: Windows 2000 Resource Kit Tool: Xcacls.exe. Microsoft Download Center. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 15 May 2002.
7. Web site: Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools. Microsoft Download Center. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 10 August 2004.
8. Web site: How to use Xcacls.vbs to modify NTFS permissions (Revision: 2.4). Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 30 October 2006.
9. Web site: Extended Change Access Control List Tool (Xcacls). Microsoft Download Center. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 2 July 2004. Xcacls.vbs is an unsupported tool that provides additional capabilities not provided with the supported utility, Xcacls.exe..
10. Web site: FILEACL v3.0.1.6 . . 2004-03-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090322021106/http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=723f64ea-34f0-4e6d-9a72-004d35de4e64&displaylang=en . March 22, 2009 .
11. Web site: The Icacls.exe utility is available for Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (Revision: 4.0). Microsoft Support. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 9 October 2011.
12. Web site: Icacls. Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft Corporation. 24 December 2011. 28 September 2007.
13. Web site: Get-Acl. Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft Corporation. 31 October 2012. 21 April 2010.
14. Web site: Set-Acl. Microsoft TechNet. Microsoft Corporation. 31 October 2012. 21 April 2010.
15. https://www.computerhope.com/icacls.htm MS-DOS and Windows command line icacls command