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Dropbox files not inheriting NTFS sharing permissions

Dropbox files no longer inherit folder permissions

rjwb
Helpful | Level 7

Within my Dropbox folder, I have sub-folders with different Windows ACL permissions. Up until recently, whenever Dropbox synced a file it inherited its folder permissions perfectly.

Now it no longer does. It overrides the folder permissions and sets all file permissions to something completely different - Full Control for admins and Read/Read & Execute for users.

Is there any way to get back to the old days - when Dropbox respected the inheritance of ACL permissions to all files in each folder?

105 Replies 105

Ashman
New member | Level 2

I am also having this issue recently.

I run windows 10 on two different pc's and require inheritable permissions to be granted on 1 of those boxes in particular.

This change is a deal breaker. I don't know whether it was intentional or not but I would suggest adding a toggle for this functionality if you want to keep people using your product.

SLWelsh
New member | Level 2

I have a dropbox subfolder that is set up for sharing over a local Windows network. The folder and its parents are all set for sharing with a default of Full Access for "Everyone" on the network. If I create a file in this folder using Windows, the file will have proper NTFS permissions, both local and Network Share.

Any files imported into the folder through Dropbox, however, from, say, an Android device or a Linux machine, only inherit local NTFS permissions. The permissions for "Everyone" are missing. I have to open each file's permissions box and add "Everyone" to it for any other machines on the Windows net to see the file.

I've had this arragement for quite some time, and it seems like the permissions worked fine up until a few months ago after an app update. I've been pulling my hair out looking for solutions, but I am at my wit's end.

What is Dropbox doing differently when creating these files from all other Windows apps?

Walter
Dropbox Staff

Hi @SLWelsh - welcome to the Dropbox Community!

What you notice is now expected as we implemented a fix in a new version of the Dropbox desktop application that ensures both consistent folder icons and file/folder permissions for items residing within the Dropbox folder.
 
If you have files or folders in the Dropbox folder with custom permissions (such as custom POSIX permissions or BSD flags), these may be removed to ensure the file syncs to other devices without any issues.  
 
I hope this clears things up and we're always a post away if you have any additional questions. 

Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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SLWelsh
New member | Level 2

So what's the fix or workaround? Or do I need to just move to a different file-sharing service?

Walter
Dropbox Staff

Your best bet at this point would be to utilize one of our core features which is shared folders @SLWelsh.

So instead of giving those permissions to other Windows users that are within your network, share a folder with them by using their email addresses. 

Let me know how it goes. 


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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SLWelsh
New member | Level 2

Those computers do not have Internet access. This is not a solution whatsoever.

Please explain to me why Dropbox is overriding the default permissions for the folder? This should have no bearing on sync of files to other platforms.

 

Walter
Dropbox Staff

I understand this is not optimal -especially when it comes to your particular setup- but, as mentioned, this is merely to ensure syncing across devices @SLWelsh.

If you have any suggestion about this, feel free to post in the 'Share an Idea' section so other similar-minded users can find and upvote it too to show their interest. 

I know it's not much, yet, I hope it helps to a certain extent. 


Walter
Community Moderator @ Dropbox
dropbox.com/support


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bernik
Explorer | Level 4

I can confirm, that setting the permissions on the (hidden) .dropbox.cache folder will reflect on synced files.

This works for me, since all my files needs one specific permissions. It will not work, if there are different permissions for different folders.

This is so stupid.

(But not as stupid as the change to selective sync, which did completly mess up our setting and forces us to use a new dropbox account.)

rickdev
New member | Level 2

This is pathetic. I have the same issue on windows 10. I am working on web files which i am adding on one machine, but the other machine then loses permission for the web server to access the file.

This should not have changed as there is no explanation or valid reason for this behaviour.  Windows specifically inherits all security setting for a file created in a folder.  This is the way windows works!!

I will be using a competitor product.

pwc
Helpful | Level 6

All,

I've been in contact with Travis at Dropbox customer support, he confirmed it was a product change that went into effect in a recent Dropbox update, and affects all clients and operating systems. Presumably Dropbox was having problems with user permissions, so they took the nuclear option of forcing all files to replicate the root folder permissions.

While I can see the need for a "novice" user mode, they should have included an advanced option to maintain the existing ACL management, and told him as much. He has forwarded my feedback into the development team. Will they heed my input? Who knows?

When I asked if or when this might be fixed: "With regards to the time frame on when this will amended, unfortunately, I'm not able to provide you with one. I'm not a part of any decision making team, as such there isn't an estimate I can give, and I don't want to set any expectations for you."

When I asked how would I know about such a change: "If a decision is made to reverse the change or implement some sort of exception, I imagine this will be disseminated to our users via email."

He did add: "I can only advise that if you know other users, that are experiencing this, urge them that they voice their concern to us at Dropbox support. This way, the more feedback we send and our team receives, the stronger the case for them to take action on this as soon as possible."

His advice is the only way this is going to get changed... if enough of us raise our voice over this issue. If you have not already, I encourage you to contact Dropbox support and voice your frustration.

I must say that Travis was very professional in his responses, and is only giving me the best information he can. Unfortunately, it also likely means I'll need to look into other options.

For those of you who have not yet contacted Dropbox support, below is a template email you can use to send in. Maybe if they get enough of them, they might listen.

pwc

=============================================================

To Dropbox Support:

Files sync'd to my Dropbox folder no longer inherit folder permissions, but instead have a fixed set of permissions. This is breaking our use of the product. This is a new bug that was introduced in the past week. We have been using Dropbox successfully for MANY years.

I believe the basic problem to be that files are being moved from the cache folder into the destination folder after download, which is moving the ACL (permissions) setting along with the file. This is a NEW behavior of Dropbox. Until a recent update (last week or so), files were likely copied, not moved (otherwise set to the permissions of the destination folder after the move using icals).

This is a deal-breaker for me… security permissions must be obeyed, as they have been for literally years. For some reason, the dev team changed how files are handled, and this has broken permissions control. This is happening on all operating systems, and is easily repeatable:

  1. Machine A:
    1. Create folder (call it ‘Test’) with permissions different from the root, make permissions inheritable
    2. Create a text file in folder. Verify that permissions match the Test subfolder, not the root Dropbox folder (it should or you setup the permissions wrong)
  2. Machine B:
    1. After sync, add a second text file in the Test folder.
  3. Machine A:
    1. After sync, second text file has the permissions of the root Dropbox folder, NOT the Test folder.
  4. Machine B:
    1. Modify the text file that was first created.
  5. Machine A:
    1. After sync, the initial text now also has the permissions of the root Dropbox folder, NOT the Test folder.

Prior to the update in the past week, Dropbox would maintain the permissions of the Test folder, not the root Dropbox folder.

I need this to be fixed ASAP.

======================

Then go to this link and post it to them: https://www.dropbox.com/support/email

 

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