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LFCS · Question #647

Which parameter in smb.conf prohibits users from accessing files outside of the share by following symbolic links?

The correct answer is A. wide links = No. To prevent users from navigating outside a Samba share by following symbolic links, the wide links parameter in smb.conf should be set to No.

Submitted by wei.xz· Apr 18, 2026Service Configuration

Question

Which parameter in smb.conf prohibits users from accessing files outside of the share by following symbolic links?

Options

  • Awide links = No
  • Bfollow links = No
  • Clinks = No
  • DNo parameter is needed because smbd runs in a chroot jail.

How the community answered

(43 responses)
  • A
    91% (39)
  • B
    2% (1)
  • C
    5% (2)
  • D
    2% (1)

Why each option

To prevent users from navigating outside a Samba share by following symbolic links, the `wide links` parameter in `smb.conf` should be set to `No`.

Awide links = NoCorrect

Setting `wide links = No` in the `smb.conf` prevents Samba from following symbolic links that point to locations outside the current share definition, effectively confining users to the designated share directory and its subdirectories.

Bfollow links = No

`follow links = No` prevents following symbolic links *within* the share, but it does not prevent following links that point *outside* the share directory, which is what `wide links` addresses.

Clinks = No

`links = No` is not a standard Samba parameter for controlling symbolic link behavior in this context.

DNo parameter is needed because smbd runs in a chroot jail.

`smbd` does not inherently run in a chroot jail by default; chrooting requires explicit configuration and is not the mechanism Samba uses to control symbolic link traversal outside shares.

Concept tested: Samba symbolic link security

Source: https://www.samba.org/samba/docs/man/manpages/smb.conf.5.html

Topics

#Samba configuration#smb.conf parameters#Symbolic links#File sharing security

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