# Shield not respecting CONF\_DIR

**URL:** https://discuss.elastic.co/t/shield-not-respecting-conf-dir/46014
**Category:** Elasticsearch
**Tags:** elastic-stack-security
**Created:** [April 1, 2016, 3:58am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/shield-not-respecting-conf-dir/46014 "2016-04-01T03:58:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 2

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### Author: ![Baboune](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/baboune/32/4405_2.png) [@Baboune](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Baboune)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2016, 9:42am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/shield-not-respecting-conf-dir/46014/2 "2016-04-01T09:42:25Z")

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Hi,

On linux, the user running "esusers" commands seem to matter. When the user has the wrong access right, then the error message points to a faulty directory error like:

> ERROR: The configuration directory [/etc/elasticsearch/shield] does not exist. The esusers tool expects Shield configuration files in that location.  
> The plugin may not have been installed with the correct configuration path. If [/usr/share/elasticsearch/config/shield] exists, please copy the shield directory to [/etc/elasticsearch]

Changing user to an admin level user like root, then the message disappears.

See [Shield Authentication Error - #8 by Baboune](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/shield-authentication-error/44185/8)

But yes it seems shield ignores where the rest of the CONFIG\_DIR is and elects its own location, /etc/elasticsearch on linux.

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_[View the full topic](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/shield-not-respecting-conf-dir/46014)._