[SOLVED] PDF File with execute permission

[Kyowash]

I've noticed a PDF file I've downloaded has execute permissions. Is it normal? Should I remove it?

[karlchen]

Hello, Kyowash.

Have you perhaps saved the downloaded PDF file to a filesystem of type FAT32 or NTFS? In case you did, then the execute permission of a PDF file might be caused by this: the Windows filesystem permissions and the Linux Mint filesystem permissions are structured in pretty different ways. As a consequence there is no 1:1 translation between Linux permissions and Windows permissions. To workaround this incompatibility Linux mounts FAT32 and NTFS filesystems in such a way that all available filesystem permissions are granted to owner - group - others; and non-executable files may appear as being executables as well.

In case the file is located in your $HOME/Downloads directory, however, you may simply remove the executable permission from it. You can do so using the graphical file manager or the terminal command chmod a-x /path/to/name_of_file.pdf (Replace by the appropriate pathname and filename.)

HTH,
Karl

[Kyowash]

Yes, I saved it in my flash drive. Its filesystem is FAT32, so I guess the first thing you explained happened.
Thanks for your help.