A technique for describing access to and properties of files and directories within a filing system. Audit Trail A means of locating the origin of specific data that appears on final reports. Authenticate Verify the identity of a user or computer or person. For example, some merchants will use advanced security systems to authenticate you before processing your online order.

Information that indicates whether a file is a read-only, hidden, system, or compressed file, and whether the file has been changed since a backup copy of it was made.

Files may have attributes of Read Only, Hidden, System, or Archive. It's a bad idea to allow any files to be hidden. See read only for dealing with unchangeable documents. ALPHABET

(ext2fs-specific) In addition to standard Unix permissions, the ext2 file system contains additional attributes, which the file system driver honors whenever the file is accessed or modified. Attributes are set or unset by the CHATTR command, and it is common to refer to the bits set by the name. The ``immutable'' bit is particularly popular among system administrators trying to protect critical files from unintentional destruction by an inattentive ROOT user.

all files and directories are assigned certain characteristics called attributes. These attributes may be Read Only, Archive, Hidden or System.

Many (all?) operating systems can assign file attributes to files created by the system. Hidden, system and read-only are three typical attributes: hidden - do not display the file under most circumstances system - consider this file an operating system file. This may restrict access or display. read-only - this file cannot be overwritten or erased