Permissions in WordPress on VPS

Question

I'm currently working on site for client. I installed Wordfence and it is showing problem with writing (root and plugin folder). I manage to partly solve problem with CHMOD 777, all other folders are 775 and files 644 (it was set like that).

I of course don't want to have anything with permissions 777. It should be VPS with Apache. Wordfence information is showing "Process owner" as "www-data". I found it could be problem with user/group setting. Can it be solved by this?

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /data/home/projects/website.cz/wordpress/

I don't have too much experience with servers so I appreciate some insight ;)

Answer 1

chmod 777 means making the file readable, writable and executable by everyone

the first digit is for user second is for groups and third is for others

4 means read 2 means write and 1 means execute

777 means

4+2+1 = read + write + execute user
4+2+1 = read + write + execute group
4+2+1 = read + write + execute other