The MSS does not implement MSS file access permissions. However, read and write passwords of 1 to 8 characters may be set by msrcp(1NCAR) when the file is created or later set or changed by mspasswd(1NCAR). If a read password is present, it must be supplied to msrcp before it will be copied from the MSS to the user's system. If a write password is present for an existing MSS file, it must be supplied to msrcp before an MSS file will be copied from the user's system to overwrite the existing MSS file.

The read and/or write passwords, if any have been set, must be given to any command that modifies MSS file metadata. No password is required to touch (update the last reference time) an MSS file, nor to recover an MSS file.