.: XCACLS, SUNINACL, And Other Permissions Security Recovery Tools
Category:Home / Computers / Data Recovery
You Have 50GB Of Data To Move Along With Permissions Security
----------------------------
This article is about several tools that can save a Windows administrators you know what in the event of a large scale permissions security problem.
Here is a fictional scenario we can use to illustrate the use of the XCACLS tool. We need to move or copy 50GB worth of data that is comprised of several thousand directories containing hundreds of thousands of small files from one storage system to another. These systems happen to part of a Windows 2000 Domain and permissions are quite granular in definition. We start the replication of that data using a favorite replication or synchronization tool and walk away for the evening. When we return the next day, everything has copied and all looks well. That is until you try to access the data.
The Data Is Copied, But I Cannot Access It: Permissions Security Problem
--------------------------------------------------
What you did not know, until just now, is that the root directory of the drive that you copied the data to had the wrong permissions assigned to it. In addition, inheritance was configured such that any data that is placed on the drive is over written with the permissions of the root directory. In this case, it was an old account that no longer existed. Believe it or not, that can happen, and system administrators will know what I am talking about. Now you are left with trying to figure out what to do. Do I format the new drive, change the permissions and inheritance on the root directory so they are correct and start all over again? Do I make the changes on the root drive so they have the correct permissions and wait hours upon hours for the permissions to propagate? No, there is another, very fast way of resolving this issue with XCACLS or another tool called SUBINACL.
XCALCS Quickly Resets Permissions On Directories And Files
----------------------------
Becasue I have limited space in this article, I am going to use XCACLS as the tool to correct this problem. However, in complex permissions structures, you will most likely want to use SUBINACL to fix the issue. I will talk about SUBINACL briefly at the end of the article.
XCACLS as a very fast tool that can set, remove, add, and change permissions on files and directories. For intance, the following command replaces all existing access rights and accounts with that of "dmiller" on the file "file.txt" with read-only access: "xcalcs file.txt /Y /T /G domaindmiller:r". Although that is pretty easy and helpful, what about changing all my directories and files, which I have thousands of, to allow the domaindmiller account to have full access? To do this in a very fast fashion you could execute the following from the root directory of the drive: "for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /T /G domaindmiller:f". This will go through every directory, subdirectory, and file and replace the current permissions with dmiller having full access to the object. You'll notice I put "" around the %g in the example. This is not required, but if you have directories that have names with spaces in them you will need to have the "".
What Other Ways Can I Use XCACLS To Change Security Permissions
----------------------------------------------------------
To give you a few additional handy examples of how you can use this tool take a look at the follow command prompt methods for replacing, updating and removing accounts and permissions from large numbers of directories and files.
The following command replaces all existing access rights an accounts with that of dmiller with read only access rights:
for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /T /G domaindmiller:r
The following command does not replace existing account permissions, instead, it adds the account, in the example the local admin account, with read only permissions:
for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /E /T /G administrator:r
The following command removes the account "administrator" permissions from all directories, files, and subdirectories: for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /E /T /R administrator
This command should update all the directories and their contents to allow Domain Admins full access:
for /d %g IN (*.*) DO xcacls "%g" /Y /T /G "Domain Admins:f"
I did a test on my XP Pro workstation and was able to change the permissions on approximately 10000 directories and files in less 1 minute. On one of my servers I was able to achieve a 500% increase in speed. It is blazingly fast.
SUBINACL Is More Complex But Man Can It Really Save The Day
-----------------------------------------------
I cannot go into specifics about this tool in this article but I will tell you what it can do. And again, it does it very very fast. Using the same scenario as above, let's say that you had to fix the permissions on thousands of home directories. With SUBINACL, you can actually go to the original directories and files, use the tool to create what is called a "play file", a text file that contains the right account and permissions from the source files, then use that same file to tell SUBINACL to fix the permissions on the target storage system, the one with the screwed up permissions. It's quite the life saver if you ever find yourself in the type of predicament.
Also check out "CACLS". This command is inherent to Windows XP Professional.
Conclusion
----------
These tools are contained in the Windows 2000 and 2003 server resource tool kit, however several of them also exist native to the Windows XP environment. Check them out if you don't already know about them. Even if you have no use for them right now it may save you hours of hard work and stress in the event of a future permissions problem.
You may reprint or publish this article free of charge as long as the bylines are included.
Original URL (The Web version of the article)
------------
http://www.defendingthenet.com/NewsLetters/XCACLS-SUBINACL-AndOtherPermissionSecurityRecoveryTools.htm
Article keywords: XCACLS, SUNINACL, CACLS, permissions security, perms, chmod, Domain Permissions, attrib, fast permissions recovery, lost file permissions
Article Source: http://www.articles32.com
About The Author
----------------
Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with over seventeen years experience. He has written many technology & security articles, some of which have been published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals. If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at Darren.Miller@defendingthenet.com. If you would like to know more about computer security please visit us at www.defendingthenet.com.
.: New Data Recovery Articles
1). A Brief History of Ontrack Data Recovery
When we talk of data recovery, terms like hard disk data recovery, hard drive recovery, and other terms related to computers are always in the surface. In terms of companies offering data recovery, several names can be mentioned, but definitely only few are known.
2). The Current and Future State of the Hard Drive and Data Recovery Industries
Where have we been and where are we going when it comes to Data Recovery? Find out the details in the following article.
3). What To Do For Data Tape Recovery
It always seems like computer problems wait until the worst moment to then spring up and say HaHa, Gotcha! Fret no more, this article looks into the various ways to combat data tape corruption and recover the all important data!
4). Prevent Data Loss! A Few Tips to Live by so You Never have to Visit a Data Recovery Specialist
Preventing a major data loss on your personal computer can be prevented by following these simple guidelines
5). Website Spiders, Discover Incredible Tips On Getting Your Site Indexed Super Fast
How do website spiders crawl and index a site? If you own a website, you should at least know how it is done. The only way visitors will be able to view your website is through the information gathered by the spiders and handed over to the search engines.
6). Data Recovery The Truth
Everything you ever wanted to know about data recovery.
7). Getting Acquainted With Offsite Data Backup
Off-site data backup should be an important part of your life if you have any data that you can not afford to lose. It may seem a bit confusing to you, but once you understand the basics you will agree that no one should be with out off-site data backup.
.: Top Data Recovery Articles
1). Hard Disk Failure and Data Recovery
Hard Disk: An Introduction
Hard disk is a non-volatile data storage device that stores electronic data on a magnetic surface layered onto hard disk platters. Word Hard is use to differentiate it from a soft, or floppy disk. Hard disks hold more data and can store from 10 to more than 100 gigabytes, whereas most floppies have a maximum storage capacity of 1.
2). XCACLS, SUNINACL, And Other Permissions Security Recovery Tools
You Have 50GB Of Data To Move Along With Permissions Security
----------------------------
This article is about several tools that can save a Windows administrators you know what in the event of a large scale permissions security problem.
Here is a fictional scenario we can use to illustrate the use of the XCACLS tool. We need to move or copy 50GB worth of data that is comprised of several thousand directories containing hundreds of thousands of small files from one storage system to another.
3). How To Recover Data Or Survive A Hard Disk Disaster
Disk failure occurs when a hard disk drive no longer operates and the information on it can no longer be accessed by the computer.
This can happen for no reason at all or due to an external factor such as exposure to fire or water or High Magneticwaves or suffering a sharp impact
How seriously the disk failure is varies.
4). Types of Computer Infection
Brief descriptions of the kinds of malicious software that abounds in todays computerised world are described and explained.
5). Data Recovery - What To Do When Your Hard Drive Fails
How many times have you experienced that sickening feeling when your hard drive suddenly fails? How many times have you experienced that your hard disk just does not boot and all the data may be gone forever? A hard drive failure is one of the most common problems and worst nightmares faced by computer operators all over the world. Precious data is lost either at home or in big corporate environments.
6). Can USB Data Recovery Be Recovered?
When you store important information on a USB device, you take the chance of losing that information. Losing data on a USB can be kind of a mystery, but there are companies out there that can help you get that data back. These companies use engineering that can recover your lost data over ninety six percent of the time. These companies can even recover data that has been stored on a damaged USB device.
7). COMPUTER PROBLEMS-Data Recovery and PC Protection
Data recovery and PC protection go hand in hand. Data recovery is a challenge faced by everyone using a computer. If you are reading this article I am sure you too like me have faced it sometime or the other. Now data loss can be due to a system crash that is the software crash or due to the hardware crash. Around 66% of the data loss is caused by software and user oriented problems.