---
name: "fbtab"
section: "5"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fbtab"
---

# fbtab(5)

change device protection upon login

## NAME

**fbtab** – change device protection upon login

## DESCRIPTION

The **fbtab** file contains a number of lines specifying a device together with a list of devices with associated protections. Comments start with a ‘#’ and extend to the end of the line.

Blank lines or lines with only a comment are ignored.

All other lines consist of three fields delimited by whitespace: a login device (*/dev/ttyv0*), an octal permission number (0600), and a colon (‘:’) delimited list of device patterns (*/dev/console*, */dev/dsp\**). All device patterns are absolute paths.

If the tty argument (relative path) matches a login device name (absolute path), the permissions of the devices in the colon-delimited list are set as specified in the second field, and their ownership is changed to that of the UID and GID arguments.

## FILES

- */etc/fbtab*

  The **fbtab** file resides in */etc*.

## SEE ALSO

[login(1)](/login/1.md), [getty(8)](/getty/8.md)

## AUTHORS

Guido van Rooij