Losing NTFS File Permissions

Question

We have one file that is causing us some problems with permissions on our file share server. The user is running Windows 10 1909 and Office 2016. When goes to save a particular Excel spreadsheet, it makes her the owner, and erases all permissions the file may have, even though inheritance is still enabled.

The only permissions she has on the file itself under normal circumstances are as follows:

Traverse folder / execute file
List Folder / read data
Read attributes
Read extended attributes
Create files /write data
Create folders /append data
Write attributes
Write extended attributes
Delete subfolders and files
Read permissions

She does NOT have permission to change permissions or take ownership, and yet that is exactly what happens every time she makes changes to the file and saves it. I've even checked her effect access to make sure there are not any weird conflicts, and the permissions are exactly as the should be.

Update (3/4/21): We are seeing this more and more, and so far, it has only affected Excel spreadsheets. That appears to be the only common factor. We are using on-prem Office as well, with a mixture of 2013, 2016, and 2019. But there appears to be no pattern other than it only affects excel spreadsheets.... so far.

The only workaround I have found is to just have the end-user completely rebuild their excel spreadsheet from scratching, saving it directly to the network share. I will fix the permissions on the bad file so they can copy data, and then rename the old file. Otherwise, no fix has been found since this was first reported in September

Answer 1

Hi everyone!

Not sure if this will help anyone who is still experiencing this problem, but we have seen the same issue with one of our clients.

For us, the problem was related to the Antivirus that was installed on the users' computers (Webroot in this instance, Windows Defender in a different instance). Removing the Antivirus software completely on the endpoints accessing this file seems to solve the permissions problem, but simply excluding the file from the Antivirus doesn't seem to work for now.

We're still working for the actual solution, but at least we now have a path to follow.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

I have found something that is working for us:
Removing the Properties and Personal Information from the files effected.
To do this:

• Go to the file properties, Details tab and click on "Remove Properties and Personal Information"
• Then select "Remove the following properties from this file." - usually it doesn't let me select anything, but if it does, I select all.
• Then click OK.

I haven't had any "repeat offenders" since I've started doing this 2 weeks ago.

I hope this works for someone else!

Answer 3

Hi guys, we have the same problem with several Macro Excel files. After every save procedure the permissions are inherited from the parent folder and the individual AD permissions is dismissed. Recreating the file from scratch didn't change a thing.

But my colleague and I discovered that this is linked to Office 365 (we are using build 32bit build 13801.2960 Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel). Please don't grill me because of 32 bit. It is right now necessary to use, otherwise we couldn't use the most important company software.

After trying this out with our previous Excel 2013 Standard Office version the permissions are FINE!!!! after saving the god damn file. This is now our workaround. I have an VM with the 2013 Office installation. Luckily only internal IT needs to set individual permission on the macro files.

I think Microsoft needs to take a deep look into that.

Regards,
Jan SMC IT

Answer 4

We have had the same issue - it started in September 2020. There are some problematic files (.xlsm ) that are repeat offenders. Many seemed to have resolved when I re-did the permissions, replacing the Owner on the files, but there is at least one file it happens every time the user saves it.

Then we have a few sporadic ones. It happens once or twice to the file, but then seems to go away. (Those have mostly been Excel files, but a few Word docs too, as well as an Excel file saved as a CSV.)

Auditing doesn't show the file's permissions being changed, but it does record them being changed back (Disabling inheritance, re-enabling inheritance).

Based on reports here, I see if I can have someone recreate the spreadsheets that are repeat offenders, but that doesn't help us with the more sporadic ones.

Watching to see if anyone else finds a better solution.

Answer 5

Hi all we have the same issue.
Excel macro some times create folder without premission.
Some one have