Use find to locate files that do not match pattern

This document should help provide the necessary information to find specific files that do not match based on user / group and permissions on a linux or unix system.

Replace the parameters in bold with your criteria.
Note the trailing semi-colon ";" after the slash "\" slash and yes there is a space after the last curly bracket "}"

find /directory -type file/directory type ! \( -user user -a -group group -a -perm permission \) -ls

Example: Search for file types within the /testing directory that don't have an owner of nobody, group of staff and permission of 555. Files not matching this criteria would be displayed.

find /testing -type f ! \( -user operator -a -group nobody -a -perm 555 \) -ls

Results are as follows:

BEFORE: Contents of the entire directory

ls -al /testing/
drwxr-xr-x  3 root     root      4096 2010-08-10 14:41 .
drwxr-xr-x 26 root     root      4096 2010-08-10 13:53 ..
-rw-------  1 root     root      5017 2010-08-10 13:53 access.log
-r-xr-xr-x  1 operator nobody   11383 2010-08-10 14:41 alert.log
-rwx---r--  1 operator nobody    6315 2010-08-10 14:39 dummy_file1.txt
-rw-------  1 root     root      5296 2010-08-10 14:39 dummy_file2.txt
-r-xr-xr-x  1 operator nobody    5068 2010-08-10 14:39 dummy_file3.txt
-rw-rw----  1 root     root   1140632 2010-08-10 13:53 errors
-rw-------  1 root     root   6950126 2010-08-10 13:53 security.log
dr-xr-xr-x  2 operator nobody    4096 2010-08-10 14:40 testing2

AFTER: display after execution of example command

find /testing -type f ! \( -user operator -a -group nobody -a -perm 555 \) -ls
310697 6800 -rw-------   1 root     root      6950126 Aug 10 13:53 /testing/security.log
310699    8 -rw-------   1 root     root         5296 Aug 10 14:39 /testing/dummy_file2.txt
310695    8 -rw-------   1 root     root         5017 Aug 10 13:53 /testing/access.log
310698    8 -rwx---r--   1 operator nobody       6315 Aug 10 14:39 /testing/dummy_file1.txt
310696 1120 -rw-rw----   1 root     root      1140632 Aug 10 13:53 /testing/errors

NOTE: the below files were not displayed as they contained the matching user/group and permission set. The directory was also not displayed as it did not match the "file" criteria.

-r-xr-xr-x  1 operator nobody   11383 2010-08-10 14:41 alert.log
-r-xr-xr-x  1 operator nobody    5068 2010-08-10 14:39 dummy_file3.txt
dr-xr-xr-x  2 operator nobody    4096 2010-08-10 14:40 testing2

Published: Wednesday, 10-Nov-2010 05:16:58 EST