Configuring NTFS permissions is something that you can do using your Windows Explorer, Server Manager, or by using command-line tools like subinacl.exe or icacls.exe. In this blog post, I will show you how to set NTFS permissions in two different ways using PowerShell 🙂
Built-in cmdlets
PowerShell has two ACL cmdlets for retrieving and setting NTFS permissions, Get-Acl and Set-Acl.
Get-Acl
When using Get-Acl with the -Path parameter to specify the folder or file you want to check the permissions of, it will look like this:
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Get-Acl -Path C:\Windows\ | Format-List
Path : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Windows\
Owner : NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller
Group : NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller
Access : CREATOR OWNER Allow 268435456
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Allow 268435456
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Allow Modify, Synchronize
BUILTIN\Administrators Allow 268435456
BUILTIN\Administrators Allow Modify, Synchronize
BUILTIN\Users Allow -1610612736
BUILTIN\Users Allow ReadAndExecute, Synchronize
NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller Allow 268435456
NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller Allow FullControl
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES Allow ReadAndExecute, Synchronize
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES Allow -1610612736
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES Allow ReadAndExecute, Synchronize
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES Allow -1610612736
Audit :
Sddl : O:S-1-5-80-956008885-3418522649-1831038044-1853292631-2271478464G:S-1-5-80-956008885-3418522649-1831038044-1853292631-2271478464D:PAI(A;OICIIO;GA;;;CO)(A;OICIIO;GA;;;SY)(A;;0x1301bf
;;;SY)(A;OICIIO;GA;;;BA)(A;;0x1301bf;;;BA)(A;OICIIO;GXGR;;;BU)(A;;0x1200a9;;;BU)(A;CIIO;GA;;;S-1-5-80-956008885-3418522649-1831038044-1853292631-2271478464)(A;;FA;;;S-1-5-80-9560088
85-3418522649-1831038044-1853292631-2271478464)(A;;0x1200a9;;;AC)(A;OICIIO;GXGR;;;AC)(A;;0x1200a9;;;S-1-15-2-2)(A;OICIIO;GXGR;;;S-1-15-2-2)
It will show the Owner, Group, and individual permissions of the file or folder. The numbers 268435456, -536805376, and -1610612736 indicate this:
| Number | Access |
| 268435456 | FullControl |
| -536805376 | Modify, Synchronize |
| -1610612736 | ReadAndExecute, Synchronize |
The Sddl (Security Descriptor Definition Language) details can be found here.
You can also show the Access Permissions in more detail using (Get-Acl -Path c:\windows\).Access
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> (Get-Acl -Path C:\Windows\).Access FileSystemRights : 268435456 AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : CREATOR OWNER IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : InheritOnly FileSystemRights : 268435456 AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : InheritOnly FileSystemRights : Modify, Synchronize AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : None PropagationFlags : None FileSystemRights : 268435456 AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : BUILTIN\Administrators IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : InheritOnly FileSystemRights : Modify, Synchronize AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : BUILTIN\Administrators IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : None PropagationFlags : None
More (advanced) examples can be found here.
Set-Acl
The Set-Acl cmdlet can be used to set permissions on files or folders. The nice thing about it is that you can copy/paste permission. In the example below, I copy the permissions from the d:\Test1 folder and set them on the d:\Test2 folder. First, I retrieve the permissions using Get-Acl, store them in the $permissions object, and set them using Set-Acl on the newly created D:\Test2 folder.
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> (Get-Acl -Path D:\Test1).Access FileSystemRights : ReadAndExecute, Synchronize AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : Everyone IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None FileSystemRights : FullControl AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None FileSystemRights : FullControl AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : BUILTIN\Administrators IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> (Get-Acl -Path D:\Test2).Access FileSystemRights : FullControl AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : Everyone IsInherited : True InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> $permissions=Get-Acl d:\Test1 C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Set-Acl -Path D:\Test2\ -AclObject $permissions C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> (Get-Acl -Path D:\Test2).Access FileSystemRights : ReadAndExecute, Synchronize AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : Everyone IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None FileSystemRights : FullControl AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None FileSystemRights : FullControl AccessControlType : Allow IdentityReference : BUILTIN\Administrators IsInherited : False InheritanceFlags : ContainerInherit, ObjectInherit PropagationFlags : None
More (advanced) examples can be found here.
NTFSSecurity PowerShell module
You can also use the NTFSSecurity module (Install it using Install-Module -Name NTFSSecurity). This module is made and maintained by Raimund Andrée (https://github.com/raandree). This module contains the following cmdlets that you can use to view and set NTFS permissions.
Note: The module has not been updated in years, it still works but no bugfixes/improvements
Add-NTFSAccess Add-NTFSAudit Clear-NTFSAccess Clear-NTFSAudit Copy-Item2 Disable-NTFSAccessInheritance Disable-NTFSAuditInheritance Disable-Privileges Enable-NTFSAccessInheritance Enable-NTFSAuditInheritance Enable-Privileges Get-ChildItem2 Get-DiskSpace Get-FileHash2 Get-Item2 Get-NTFSAccess Get-NTFSAudit Get-NTFSEffectiveAccess Get-NTFSHardLink Get-NTFSInheritance Get-NTFSOrphanedAccess Get-NTFSOrphanedAudit Get-NTFSOwner Get-NTFSSecurityDescriptor Get-NTFSSimpleAccess Get-Privileges Move-Item2 New-NTFSHardLink New-NTFSSymbolicLink Remove-Item2 Remove-NTFSAccess Remove-NTFSAudit Set-NTFSInheritance Set-NTFSOwner Set-NTFSSecurityDescriptor Test-Path2
To show the permissions of a file or folder, you can use it like the example below:
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Get-NTFSAccess -Path c:\windows | Format-Table -AutoSize
Path: c:\windows (Inheritance disabled)
Account Access Rights Applies to Type IsInherited InheritedFrom
------- ------------- ---------- ---- ----------- -------------
CREATOR OWNER GenericAll SubfoldersAndFilesOnly Allow False
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM GenericAll SubfoldersAndFilesOnly Allow False
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Modify, Synchronize ThisFolderOnly Allow False
BUILTIN\Administrators GenericAll SubfoldersAndFilesOnly Allow False
BUILTIN\Administrators Modify, Synchronize ThisFolderOnly Allow False
BUILTIN\Users GenericExecute, GenericRead SubfoldersAndFilesOnly Allow False
BUILTIN\Users ReadAndExecute, Synchronize ThisFolderOnly Allow False
NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller GenericAll SubfoldersOnly Allow False
NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller FullControl ThisFolderOnly Allow False
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES ReadAndExecute, Synchronize ThisFolderOnly Allow False
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL APPLICATION PACKAGES GenericExecute, GenericRead SubfoldersAndFilesOnly Allow False
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES ReadAndExecute, Synchronize ThisFolderOnly Allow False
APPLICATION PACKAGE AUTHORITY\ALL RESTRICTED APPLICATION PACKAGES GenericExecute, GenericRead SubfoldersAndFilesOnly Allow False
To set the permissions on a file or folder, you can use it like the example below: (Same as my Set-Acl example, copy NTFS permissions in an object and set it on the desired file or folder.
Note: Set-ACL copies the Inheritance flag by default. With the NTFSSecurity cmdlet, you will need to remove the Inheritance Flag first if needed (As I also did in the example below)
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Get-NTFSAccess -Path D:\Test1
Path: D:\Test1 (Inheritance disabled)
Account Access Rights Applies to Type IsInherited InheritedFrom
------- ------------- ---------- ---- ----------- -------------
Everyone ReadAndExecute, Synchronize ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow False
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM FullControl ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow False
BUILTIN\Administrators FullControl ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow False
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Get-NTFSAccess -Path D:\Test2
Path: D:\Test2 (Inheritance enabled)
Account Access Rights Applies to Type IsInherited InheritedFrom
------- ------------- ---------- ---- ----------- -------------
Everyone FullControl ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow True D:
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Disable-NTFSAccessInheritance d:\Test2
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Get-NTFSAccess -Path d:\test1 | Add-NTFSAccess D:\Test2
C:\Users\HarmVeenstra> Get-NTFSAccess -Path d:\Test2
Path: d:\Test2 (Inheritance disabled)
Account Access Rights Applies to Type IsInherited InheritedFrom
------- ------------- ---------- ---- ----------- -------------
Everyone FullControl ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow False
NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM FullControl ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow False
BUILTIN\Administrators FullControl ThisFolderSubfoldersAndF… Allow False
There is a site with good documentation about all the cmdlets of the NTFSecurity module, with excellent examples and detailed instructions. Go and check that out. I think the NTFSSecurity module is the thing you should use when setting (automated) permissions. More flexible than Get-Acl/Set-Acl IMHO 🙂
Thanks for this. I did a terabytes of filesystem permissions work last year as part of an enterprise divesture migration and found icacls is orders of magnitude faster than get-acl and set-acl. The pattern we used was to export the source permissions to a file with icacl, munge the file, and then import it on the target. It was crazy fast.
Icacls is much more low level I guess and performs better because of that perhaps, subinacl too. Should do a benchmark of that to see the difference 🤔
Any idea, how i can uncheck the „delete“ and check the box „delete only lower folders and Files“ in the advanced permissions?
“Allow on Subfolders and files only with Read&Execute/List Folder Contents/Read/Only apply these permissions on objects and/or containers within this container” rights?