How to provide Non-Root Access to Apache Web Server Log Files?

By default, Apache Web Server Log Files are restricted to root user only. If you want to run GoAccess as a non-root user to access them you can follow these examples:

1. Check the current permissions on Apache Web Server Log Files:

fyicenter$ ls -l /var/log | grep httpd

drwx------.  2 root   root      4096 Dec  4 03:24 httpd

2. Make them readable for everyone:

fyicenter$ sudo chmod 755 /var/log/httpd

fyicenter$ ls -la /var/log/httpd
drwxr-xr-x.  2 root root   4096 Dec  4 03:24 .
drwxr-xr-x. 23 root root   4096 Dec  4 03:24 ..
-rw-r--r--.  1 root root 280119 Dec  8 22:54 access_log

3. Run "goaccess" as non-root user:

fyicenter$ goaccess /var/log/httpd/access_log -o report.html

4. Make GoAccess log data files accessible for the "web" group:

fyicenter$ sudo chown -R fyicenter /var/log/goaccess
fyicenter$ sudo chgrp -R web /var/log/goaccess
fyicenter$ sudo chmod -R 770 /var/log/goaccess

fyicenter$ ls -la /var/log/goaccess
drwxrwx---.  2 fyicenter web  12288 Dec  8 22:32 .
drwxr-xr-x. 12 root      root  4096 Dec  8 22:31 ..
-rwxrwx---.  1 fyicenter web     33 Dec  8 22:53 I32_DATES.db
-rwxrwx---.  1 fyicenter web   4152 Dec  8 22:53 IGLP_LAST_PARSE.db
-rwxrwx---.  1 fyicenter web     54 Dec  8 22:53 IGSL_BROWSERS_MTRC_AGENTS.db
-rwxrwx---.  1 fyicenter web     54 Dec  8 22:54 IGSL_GEO_LOCATION_MTRC_AGENTS.db
...

⇒ Generate Report from Multiple Log Files

⇐ Restore Processed Log Data from File

⇑ Customizing GoAccess

⇑⇑ GoAccess - Frequently Asked Questions