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AWStats permission errors are fixed by matching each operation to the Unix account that performs it. The account must be able to read the configured access log, traverse every directory in that path, execute AWStats as CGI when reports are opened in a browser, and write the AWStats working and database directory. A durable repair also updates logrotate, otherwise the next rotation can recreate the failure.
Start with the exact pathname in the error and the execution path that produced it. A message naming /var/log/apache2/access.log is a log-read problem; a message naming a file ending in .tmp.9999 is normally a working-directory write problem. They can occur together but require different permissions.
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What the error is telling you
AWStats can run offline from a scheduler or command line, and it can run as a CGI program behind a web server. Those modes do not necessarily use the same Unix account. On a typical Debian installation, the web-server account is www-data, while Apache logs are commonly owned by root:adm. A manual test run as your own account may succeed even though the scheduled job or CGI request fails.
| Failure text or symptom | Operation that failed | Where to investigate |
|---|---|---|
Permission denied naming an Apache access log |
AWStats cannot read the log or traverse a parent directory | Log ownership, group/ACL, modes, and every parent directory |
Couldn't open file ... .tmp.9999 |
AWStats cannot create a temporary working file | DirData or working directory and its parents |
| History or database update fails | The updater lacks write access to existing database files | Database directory, file ownership, and all writer identities |
| Browser shows Perl source or an internal CGI error | Apache is not executing the script correctly | CGI configuration, interpreter path, script mode, and Apache error log |
Do not begin by making every file world-readable or world-writable. That can expose visitor, URL, and administrative information and gives a compromised process more opportunity to alter reporting data.
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1. Identify the account, execution mode, and exact path
Record how the failure was generated: a cron entry, a distribution package job, a manual update, or an Apache CGI request. Then inspect the configured log and data paths. Substitute your actual AWStats configuration name where shown.
grep -R "^LogFile|^DirData|^LogFormat" /etc/awstats
stat /var/log/apache2/access.log
namei -l /var/log/apache2/access.log
stat /var/lib/awstats
namei -l /var/lib/awstatsstat shows the owner, group, mode, and timestamps of the final object. namei -l shows permissions on every directory component. A file can have mode 640 and still be inaccessible if the account cannot execute (traverse) one of its parent directories.
Find the scheduled identity
Inspect the package job or cron entry rather than guessing. System cron entries often contain an explicit user field; a per-user crontab runs as its owner. For a direct test, run AWStats as the same account:
sudo -u www-data /usr/lib/cgi-bin/awstats.pl -config=example -updateThe exact AWStats path varies by package. Use the path installed on your host. A test as root is not useful for diagnosing a non-root job because root bypasses many permission checks.
Find the CGI identity
Apache normally serves CGI requests as its configured web account, often www-data on Debian. Confirm the account in the Apache service configuration and test with that identity. If a proxy, privilege-separation module, or container is involved, use the account inside the process that actually opens the file.
2. Confirm AWStats paths and log format
Use an absolute path for LogFile whenever possible. A relative path is resolved from the process’s working directory, which can differ between cron and CGI. Debian’s model configuration uses /var/log/apache2/access.log as an example. Verify that Apache really writes that file, especially when virtual hosts use separate logs or when rotation renames the active file.
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For NCSA combined or standard Apache access logs, AWStats setup guidance uses LogFormat=1. A wrong format usually causes parsing errors rather than a Unix permission error, but checking it now prevents misdiagnosing a second problem.
grep -E "^(LogFile|LogFormat|DirData)" /etc/awstats/awstats.example.conf
apachectl -S
grep -R "CustomLog" /etc/apache2Keep the configured file aligned with the rotation scheme. If Apache writes a per-site file, point AWStats to that file instead of assuming the global access log contains the required requests.
3. Give AWStats least-privilege read access to Apache logs
Choose one access model: a dedicated group, a narrowly scoped ACL, or a logrotate policy that creates files with the required group and mode. Apply the policy to existing files and future files.
Dedicated group
A dedicated group avoids granting the AWStats process access to every file readable by a broad administrative group. The following pattern gives the updater read access to the current log:
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sudo groupadd --system awstats-logread
sudo usermod -aG awstats-logread www-data
sudo chgrp awstats-logread /var/log/apache2/access.log
sudo chmod 640 /var/log/apache2/access.logUse the account that actually runs AWStats instead of www-data if your scheduler uses another identity. Group membership is read when a process starts, so restart the relevant Apache workers or scheduler process after changing membership.
ACL for a single account
An ACL is useful when changing the file’s primary group would interfere with existing log administration:
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sudo setfacl -m u:www-data:r /var/log/apache2/access.log
sudo getfacl /var/log/apache2/access.logGrant only read permission on logs. If the path contains a private directory, add a traverse-only ACL to that directory rather than opening it to all users. For example, an account needs x on a directory to reach a file but does not need directory listing permission.
Do not stop at the current file
Changing today’s mode or ACL is temporary if logrotate creates a new file at the next rotation. Debian’s package guidance describes the common mismatch between www-data and root:adm and recommends changing the logrotate creation policy as well as existing files. Edit the Apache logrotate rule so its create directive uses the group and mode selected for your host, for example:
/var/log/apache2/*.log {
daily
rotate 14
missingok
compress
delaycompress
create 0640 root awstats-logread
}Preserve the other directives already present on your system. After the next rotation, check the new file with stat and verify that the ACL or group is still present. If a package update replaces the rule, re-check the policy.
Why world-readable logs are a poor default
Using mode 644 or an equivalent broad ACL may make the error disappear, but it exposes request paths, query strings, client addresses, and timing data to every local user and service. Make logs world-readable only when the host’s security policy explicitly accepts that exposure.
4. Fix the AWStats working and data directory
The AWStats FAQ identifies a filename ending in .tmp.9999 as a failure to write the working temporary file. Make the directory named by DirData writable by the account that performs updates. The directory must also be traversable by every process that needs to reach it.
grep '^DirData' /etc/awstats/awstats.example.conf
sudo install -d -o www-data -g www-data -m 0750 /var/lib/awstats
sudo -u www-data sh -c 'touch /var/lib/awstats/.permission-test && rm /var/lib/awstats/.permission-test'If both a command-line updater and CGI reports use the directory, do not assign ownership to only one identity. Use a shared group with set-group-ID on the directory, or an ACL that grants the required writer access:
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sudo groupadd --system awstats-data
sudo usermod -aG awstats-data www-data
sudo usermod -aG awstats-data awstats
sudo chown -R root:awstats-data /var/lib/awstats
sudo chmod 2770 /var/lib/awstats
sudo find /var/lib/awstats -type f -exec chmod 660 {} ;Replace awstats with the real offline updater account. Restart processes after group changes. The set-group-ID bit (2 in 2770) keeps newly created files in the shared group, but it does not by itself guarantee that every file has suitable modes; verify after an update.
Check parent directories and symlinks
A writable final directory is insufficient if a parent directory denies traversal. Run namei -l on the complete DirData path. While isolating a Unix permission issue, use a direct directory rather than a symlink whose target has different ownership or mount options. Once access works, reintroduce symlinks only if they are necessary and document the target permissions.
5. Make database and history files writable by every updater
AWStats database and history files are updated, not merely read. If offline processing creates them as one account and CGI processing later updates them as another, the second process needs write access to both the directory and existing files. Check each file’s owner and mode:
find /var/lib/awstats -maxdepth 1 -type f -printf '%M %u:%g %pn'
namei -l /var/lib/awstats/awstats.example.*A dedicated shared group or narrowly scoped ACL is preferable to changing all files to mode 666. Also check umask: a restrictive umask can create new database files that the other updater cannot modify. Set an appropriate umask in the scheduler or service environment, then confirm the resulting mode with a real update.
The broad configuration switch
The AWStats configuration reference includes SaveDatabaseFilesWithPermissionsForEveryone=1, which makes database files readable and writable for everyone to avoid identity mismatches. Treat this as a deliberate security trade-off, not the first repair. It broadens access to reporting history and permits any local process to alter those files. A shared group or ACL usually provides the same operational result with less exposure.
6. Separate CGI execution errors from filesystem permissions
A browser error can remain after the log is readable because Apache still has to execute awstats.pl. If the browser prints Perl source, Apache is serving the script as text. If it returns a generic internal error, read the Apache error log while making one request.
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- Confirm the CGI module or equivalent handler is enabled for the AWStats location.
- Verify the first line of
awstats.plpoints to an installed Perl interpreter, or configure the handler to use the correct interpreter. - Ensure the script has execute permission where required and that Apache can traverse its parent directories.
- Check that the CGI URL maps to the intended script and configuration name.
- After execution works, test the log-read and database-write permissions as the CGI account.
Do not make the entire CGI directory writable by the web account merely to solve a data-directory problem. Keep executable code and mutable AWStats data in separate locations.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.7. Protect the AWStats CGI endpoint
AWStats reports can reveal URLs, referrers, hostnames, and traffic patterns. The security documentation recommends restricting access and protecting the CGI endpoint. Put it behind HTTP authentication, an IP allowlist, a private network, or another control appropriate to the site. Limit who can trigger updates through the browser; read-only report access is safer than allowing arbitrary visitors to cause database writes.
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8. Verify the repair through the same path that failed
- Run a read test as the scheduled or CGI account. For example, use
sudo -u www-data test -r /var/log/apache2/access.logand check its exit status. - Run the actual AWStats update command as that account, using the same configuration name and environment as the job.
- Confirm that a new database or report timestamp appears in
DirData. - Request the protected CGI report and inspect the Apache error log at the same time.
- Check that no permission errors were written by the scheduler, Apache, or AWStats.
- Perform a controlled rotation or wait for the next scheduled rotation, then repeat the read test against the newly created log.
Testing only with a manually invoked command under your login account proves little. The durable test is the exact account, command, path, and rotation policy used in production.
Common failure patterns and targeted fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Targeted action |
|---|---|---|
| Manual update works; cron update fails | Different Unix account or environment | Run the command with the scheduler’s account and repair its log/data access |
| Current log works; failure returns after rotation | Logrotate recreates the file with old owner, group, or mode | Update the logrotate create policy and retest a rotated file |
Log is readable; .tmp.9999 appears |
DirData is not writable or a parent is not traversable |
Check DirData, parents, ACLs, and the updater’s identity |
| Offline update works; browser update cannot save history | CGI account lacks write access to database files | Use a shared group or ACL for the data directory and existing files |
| Browser displays Perl code | CGI handler is missing or misconfigured | Fix Apache CGI execution separately from file permissions |
| Internal CGI error with no useful page | Interpreter, script mode, path, or runtime failure | Read the Apache error log and verify the Perl handler and script path |
Changing a file to 777 appears to help |
Permissions were broadened indiscriminately | Undo the broad mode and implement a scoped group or ACL |
Choosing between the available permission models
| Model | Strength | Cost or risk | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dedicated group | Clear ownership and repeatable logrotate policy | Requires group membership and process restarts | Hosts where one or more known accounts update AWStats |
| File and directory ACLs | Precise access without changing primary groups | Harder to audit if used inconsistently | Shared hosts with existing ownership conventions |
| Single-account ownership | Simple when one updater does all work | CGI and offline modes cannot both write without coordination | Offline-only reporting or a deliberately single-writer design |
| World-readable or world-writable modes | Low setup effort | Greatest information and tampering exposure | Only when explicitly accepted by the host’s security policy |
Debian-style end-to-end checklist
- Identify whether AWStats runs as
www-data, another service account, or a cron user. - Confirm absolute
LogFile,DirData, andLogFormatvalues in the AWStats configuration under/etc/awstats. - Use
statandnamei -lto inspect the final object and every parent directory. - Grant the updater read access to Apache logs through a dedicated group or ACL.
- Set the same group and mode in the Apache logrotate rule; repair existing files immediately.
- Grant the required write access to the AWStats data directory and database files for every updater.
- Test temporary-file creation as the failing account.
- Configure and test Apache CGI execution independently.
- Restrict the CGI endpoint before exposing it beyond trusted users or networks.
- Run the real scheduled and web paths, then repeat after log rotation.
When to stop changing permissions
If the account, paths, ownership, ACLs, and rotation policy are correct but the error persists, inspect mandatory access controls and service isolation. SELinux, AppArmor, containers, read-only mounts, and systemd sandbox settings can deny an operation even when traditional Unix modes look sufficient. Their audit or service logs will identify denials. Do not compensate by opening permissions globally; add the narrow policy exception required for the AWStats process and retest.
The reliable fix is therefore a complete path-and-identity alignment: the correct account can read the actual Apache log, traverse its parents, write DirData and history files, execute the CGI through Apache when needed, and retain those rights after rotation. Any one-time chmod that ignores the scheduler, CGI account, or logrotate policy is likely to fail again.
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