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Why can't users read /System/Library/User Template?

Is there anything in there that is sensitive and should be protected against reading?

If /System/Library/User Template were not protected against reading, it'd be useful to see how a freshly created user home looks like and to restore parts of it in your own home.

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  • A User can read /System/Library/User Template by using sudo, e.g.: sudo ls '/System/Library/User Template'
    – user3439894
    Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 15:59
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    @user3439894, that's what I did, but it seemed too much. Plus ordinary users cannot use sudo.
    – lhf
    Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 16:27
  • It's readable in Catalina.
    – lhf
    Commented Jun 27, 2021 at 11:47

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/System/Library/User Template is protected not only by its permissions, but also because of System Integrity Protection as it's under /System

A common troubleshooting method used by system administrators is to create a new user account and see if whatever problem the user is happening is also happening there.

If, for example, a malicious Program were to infect the computer it could use the user template to perform a variety of things on all new users that are created.

It's permissions are not really meant to prevent anything sensitive from leaving, but rather prevent anything malicious from entering.

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  • Good point, but my question is about it being protected against reading, not writing.
    – lhf
    Commented Dec 9, 2016 at 16:28

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