# Elasticsearch directory permission

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [March 28, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611 "2021-03-28T22:47:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![twilight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/twilight/32/83450_2.png) [@twilight](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/twilight)\
**Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 10:47pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/1 "2021-03-28T22:47:44Z")

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Hello,  
I just installed elasticsearch 7.12.0 rpm package on AWS Linux AMI, when I try to access the config directory, it says "permission denied".

this is the directory detail.  
$ ls -l  
drwxr-s--- 3 root elasticsearch 245 Mar 27 21:42 elasticsearch

I need help accessing it via the same or some specific user which I think in this case is 'elasticsearch'.

this command asks for password which I don't know;  
$ su elasticsearch

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**Author:** ![warkolm](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/warkolm/32/39224_2.png) [@warkolm](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/warkolm)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 12:02am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/2 "2021-03-29T00:02:55Z")

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What directory are you exactly trying to access?

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**Author:** ![twilight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/twilight/32/83450_2.png) [@twilight](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/twilight)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 12:15am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/3 "2021-03-29T00:15:42Z")

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/etc/elasticsearch

I want to access the config file actually.

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**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/4 "2021-03-29T00:28:11Z")

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What command did you use to install?

If you used `sudo` to install the package.

Then

`sudo vi /etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml`

Of just

`sudo -i`

Then the commands you want

Example

```
$ sudo -i
$ cd /etc/elasticsearch
$ vi elasticsearch.yml
```

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**Author:** ![rijinmp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/rijinmp/32/24634_2.png) [@rijinmp](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rijinmp)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 2:10pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/5 "2021-03-29T14:10:42Z")

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If you are not created the user elasticsearch , you cant switch user to elasticsearch ( su elasticsearch not possible)

for avoid this permission denied error try this command as root

> sudo chown elasticsearch:elasticsearch /etc/elasticsearch

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![twilight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/twilight/32/83450_2.png) [@twilight](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/twilight)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/6 "2021-03-29T21:13:37Z")

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Thanks, I was able to access the config with sudo {path to yml}.

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**Author:** ![twilight](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/twilight/32/83450_2.png) [@twilight](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/twilight)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/7 "2021-03-29T21:14:53Z")

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Hi Rijin,

Will there be any effect on elasticsearch service or user if I change owner of the directory?

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**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 10:39pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/8 "2021-03-29T22:39:52Z")

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The ownerships are set for a reason, so if you change them to something else yes it could have a negative affect.

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**Author:** ![rijinmp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/rijinmp/32/24634_2.png) [@rijinmp](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/rijinmp)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2021, 5:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/10 "2021-03-30T05:48:10Z")

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In My experience ownership change helped to avoid permission issues .

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 27, 2021, 5:48am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/elasticsearch-directory-permission/268611/11 "2021-04-27T05:48:29Z")

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