How to Fix: Getting an “Operation not permitted” error when running commands after to SSHing from another machine to macOS
Operation not permitted error when running commands after SSHing from another machine to macOS
📋 Table of Contents
Getting an 'Operation not permitted' error when running commands after SSHing from another machine to macOS can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to manage external drives connected to the target iMac. This issue affects users who are attempting to execute basic commands like ls and touch using the terminal on a remote Mac.
This error is particularly vexing because it seems counterintuitive that even with full disk access set for essential commands like ls, touch, and sshd, the operation still fails. The root cause of this issue lies in the way macOS manages file system permissions and access control.
🔍 Why This Happens
- The primary reason for this error is that macOS has a strict permission model that prevents non-root users from accessing certain areas of the file system. When you SSH to an iMac, your user account may not have the necessary permissions to read or write files on external drives or in specific directories.
- Another possible cause is that the target iMac's security settings are configured to restrict access to certain commands or programs. For example, if the Terminal app is set to only allow signed applications, it may block your attempts to execute ls and touch commands.
🚀 How to Resolve This Issue
Granting Additional Permissions
- Step 1: To resolve this issue, you'll need to grant additional permissions to your user account. Open the Terminal app on the target iMac and run the following command: sudo chmod u+x /path/to/external/drive/folder*. This will give your user account read and write access to the specified folder.
- Step 2: Alternatively, you can use the ls and touch commands by running them with elevated privileges using the sudo command. For example, try running ls -l /path/to/external/drive/folder* or touch /path/to/new/file.txt
- Step 3: To confirm that your user account has been granted additional permissions, run the following command: echo $USER | id -r. This should display your user ID and group ID.
Configuring Terminal App Settings
- Step 1: If granting additional permissions doesn't work, try configuring the Terminal app settings to allow signed applications. Open System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Terminal, then click on the lock icon and enter your password. Under 'Allow apps without a developer ID', select the checkbox next to 'Anywhere'.
- Step 2: Alternatively, you can configure the Terminal app to run with elevated privileges by default. To do this, open System Preferences > Users & Groups > [Your User Name] > Login Items, then click on the gear icon and select 'Edit'. Under 'Privilege', select 'Run as administrator'.
🎯 Final Words
To summarize, getting an 'Operation not permitted' error when running commands after SSHing from another machine to macOS can be caused by a variety of factors, including file system permission issues or restrictive security settings. By granting additional permissions to your user account or configuring the Terminal app settings, you should be able to resolve this issue and access external drives connected to the target iMac.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
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