Making hidden folders

onebuck · 02-09-2017, 02:24 PM

I suggest that members should refresh their understanding of the LQ Rules;

Quote:

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@hawksfan92 You have been here a while and should consider reading the following to help you when interacting here at LQ for postings; http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...#faq_lqwelcome

suicidaleggroll · 02-09-2017, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hydrurga

On Ubuntu, the simplest way would be just to create the directory as root. However any ordinary user could use sudo to access the directory unless you disable that capability for the users in question.

If the data is meant for your eyes only, then personally I would create an encrypted container for the data (using e.g. VeraCrypt) and mount it yourself only when you need access to it.

That's correct, changing ownership and moving the directory to a location that's only accessibly as root will hide it from other user accounts, but not necessarily from other users, if those users also have the ability to become root. It will also not protect against somebody booting another OS (like a live USB) and mounting the drive from there.

You could use an encrypted container (I often do this on my own computers, especially laptops that will be taken on the road, to protect sensitive data against thieves), but unfortunately whenever this container is mounted, your data will again be exposed to anybody else on the machine who has root access. Whether or not this is a problem depends entirely on the intended usage of the machine...who else has access, and more importantly, who else has sudo/root access, and when.

BW-userx · 02-09-2017, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suicidaleggroll

See his latest response. It is very important that this question was asked and answered, or he never would have received an answer that satisfied his underlying goal.

The reason people ask probing questions like this is that the English language (all languages) is ambiguous. "Hidden" means different things to different people. The reasons for asking the question can help to clarify what is really being asked, and the responses can be adjusted to suit, which is EXACTLY what has happened in this thread.

that then falls under this heading

ask the proper question get the proper answer.

hydrurga · 02-09-2017, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suicidaleggroll

You could use an encrypted container (I often do this on my own computers, especially laptops that will be taken on the road, to protect sensitive data against thieves), but unfortunately whenever this container is mounted, your data will again be exposed to anybody else on the machine who has root access. Whether or not this is a problem depends entirely on the intended usage of the machine...who else has access, and more importantly, who else has sudo/root access, and when.

Yup. For the encryption solution, I was hoping/assuming that this was a machine that could only be used by one physical user at a time, and additionally that no-one could have remote access - hopefully the OP will get back to us on this one.

If that is the case, OP could mount the data when required and then unmount it back to its encrypted state whenever finished, and most certainly before handing access to the machine over to any other users.

Habitual · 02-09-2017, 02:53 PM

Terminal:

Code:

mkdir ~/Desktop/.hawksfan92

Now look at your Desktop. Voila.
Open your File Manager and go to Desktop "folder".
Unseen? Press Ctrl+H.

Enjoy the goodness.
Press Ctrl+H again to hide (default) hidden files.