Allow Users to Create Files but Not Edit or Delete Them in Windows

file-permissionsntfspermissionswindows

Is it possible to allow users creating new files inside a folder but not modifying them?

I'm trying to set such permissions but the problem is that when I disable write attributes and write extended attributes, users can't create files.

Users can't create files inside this folder, but, they can modify them. I want opposite.

Best Answer

Open the Advanced Security Settings window, disable inheritance clearing all the entries, and add these:

Allow Administrators "Full control" on "This folder, subfolders, and files"
Allow SYSTEM "Full control" on "This folder, subfolders, and files"
Allow Authenticated Users the basic permissions "Read & execute", "List folder contents", "Read", and "Write" to "This folder only"
Allow CREATOR OWNER "Full control" to "Subfolders and files only"
Allow Authenticated Users the basic permissions "Read & execute", "List folder contents", and "Read" to "This folder, subfolders, and files"

The magic happens in the fourth bullet, where we add permissions for CREATOR OWNER. When inherited by new files, that entry will be changed into one that applies to the creator. You can skip the final bullet if you don't want everyone to be able to read all the files.

To verify that the ACLs were entered correctly, here's the output of icacls on the folder:

BUILTIN\Administrators:(OI)(CI)(F)
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)(F)
NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(RX,W)
CREATOR OWNER:(OI)(CI)(IO)(F)
NT AUTHORITY\Authenticated Users:(OI)(CI)(RX)

Related Solutions

Windows – NTFS Permissions – Create Files and Folder but prevent Deletion and Modification

Through a process of trial and error, I have found that by NOT granting 'Write Attributes', this has the effect of preventing a user from modifying/deleting existing files (which is what I want). However, I would really like an explanation as to precisely why this works.

This is a function of precisely how a file modification occurs. When you modify a file, the operating system doesn't actually modify the file you're editing. It replaces the file you're editing with the copy you changed. So, essentially, a file modification takes a copy of the original file, loads it into memory (where you modify it), deletes the original file, and creates a new file with the same name in the same place. This is why NTFS Delete permissions are required to modify files - in fact, if you check the Advanced permissions on an NTFS object, there is no Modify permission - a modification is really just a delete and a write.

So, in order to create that new copy of a file, it has to write the file attributes of this new file... and, of course, writing attributes requires the Write attributes NTFS permission. So that is why you can't modify a file without having the Write attributes NTFS permission.

Specifically, thanks to a chat with Fitzroy, the NTFS file attribute that needs to be written under the user's security context (that can't be, without the Write Attributes permission), when modifying a file, but not when creating a completely new one, would be the file's LastModificationTime. This is a part of the Standard Information attribute, according to one of the Microsoft Core Team developers.

Windows – How to prevent users from deleting one folder, while still giving them modify permissions to other files and folders

I am trying to prevent users from accidentally deleting a certain folder in a parent folder, while still giving them modify permission on all other files and folders in the parent folder. But they should be also able to modify files and folders in this certain folder

Prevent Folder Deletion or inadvertent Drag and Drop with NTFS security

If you want to prevent a specific folder from being deleted or dragged and dropped elsewhere, even if it has elevated implicit permissions, you can set an explicit DENY to the FOLDER ONLY for the user account or security group which you want to prevent this action from being performed.

You can complete this folder security lock down using ICACLS with a local path (e.g C:\Path\FolderA\FolderE) or a UNC path (e.g \\server\share\FolderA\FolderE).

Example ICACLS syntax to run from an elevated command prompt

ICACLS "\\server\share\FolderA\FolderE" /deny "<UserOrGroupNameToDeny>":(DE)

Permissions Used

/deny user:permission
   Explicitly deny the specified user access rights.
   This will also remove any explicit grant of the 
   same permissions to the same user.

perm is a permission mask and can be specified in one of two forms:
   a comma-separated list in parentheses of specific rights:
         DE - delete

What this does

Running the above with those options in that syntax will set an explicit DENY to the NTFS DELETE permission on that FOLDER ONLY to that specific user account of security group.

You can confirm the deny permissions to the folder for the user account or security group by:

right-click the folder you've used in the command,
Select the Security tab,
In the Group or user name: area scroll to or select and highlight the account or group you've used in the command,
In the Permissions for Administrators area you will see the NTFS permission attributes for Allow and Deny
You'll see a check mark in the DENY column of the special permissions row for the account or group you've used in the command

Select Advanced and go to the Permissions tab
Check for the Name (or Principal) value that you used in command, for DENY in the Type field
The Permissions (or Access) field should show Delete and the Apply to (or Applies to) will show this folder only

NOTES

Please note that unchecking an ALLOW DELETE attribute is not the same as leaving that in place as-is and then creating a separate NTFS ACL rule for this same security group or user account saying to explicitly DENY the DELETE security.

This solution does NOT disallow DELETE this way

(WRONG)