Your Server Is Only as Secure as Your Permissions
Every week, servers get griefed not because of hackers or exploits, but because of simple permission mistakes. The owner accidentally gave build access to everyone. A staff member had permissions they shouldn't have. The default group was too permissive.
These mistakes are embarrassing, preventable, and sometimes catastrophic. Let's make sure you don't make them.
Mistake #1: Wildcard Permission Abuse
The Problem
Wildcards (*) grant every permission under a node. Server admins love them because they're convenient:
/hp group admin permission set * true
Done! Admins have access to everything. But "everything" includes permissions you might not expect.
Why It's Dangerous
That wildcard includes:
- Economy manipulation (
economy.admin.set) - World deletion (
world.delete.*) - Console command execution
- Plugin-specific dangerous permissions
Even trusted staff can accidentally cause disasters when they have permissions they don't know about.
Real Incident
A server owner gave moderators essentials.* thinking it covered moderation tools. It also included essentials.backup and essentials.world.delete. A moderator ran the wrong command and deleted the main world.
The Fix
Be explicit. Grant exactly what's needed:
/hp group admin permission set hytale.kick true
/hp group admin permission set hytale.ban true
/hp group admin permission set hytale.mute true
More typing? Yes. Server still standing? Also yes.
If you must use wildcards, combine them with explicit denials:
/hp group admin permission set essentials.* true
/hp group admin permission set essentials.backup false
/hp group admin permission set essentials.world.* false
Mistake #2: Permissive Default Groups
The Problem
The default group applies to every new player. Some admins get lazy:
default:
permissions:
- hytale.*
"I'll restrict it later" — words spoken moments before disaster.
Why It's Dangerous
Every new player immediately has full access:
- Creative mode
- Teleport anywhere
- Admin commands
- Economy manipulation
Griefers join, notice they can fly and use /give, and go to town destroying everything before you realize what happened.
Real Incident
A server launched with defaults unchanged. Within hours, players discovered they could teleport into restricted areas, spawn items, and change other players' gamemodes. The server was unrecoverable.
The Fix
Default groups should be restrictive. Start here:
/hp group default permission set hytale.chat true
/hp group default permission set hytale.build true
/hp group default permission set hytale.teleport.spawn true
That's it. Basic survival permissions. Add more only as needed.
Mistake #3: Not Using Permission Negations
The Problem
You want moderators to have most teleport abilities, but not /tp to coordinates (too easy to exploit). So you add the permissions they can use:
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.home true
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.spawn true
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.player true
Later, you decide to use a wildcard for convenience:
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.* true
Now they have hytale.teleport.coords too.
Why It's Dangerous
Permissions granted by inheritance or wildcards can sneak in. Without explicit denials, you end up with permission creep.
The Fix
Use negations to explicitly deny dangerous permissions:
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.* true
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.coords false
/hp group moderator permission set hytale.teleport.world.nether false
false overrides true, even from wildcards or inheritance.
Pro Tip
Audit your groups regularly. HyperPerms' web editor shows exactly which permissions each group has, including inherited ones. Review it monthly.
Mistake #4: Trusting Plugin Default Permissions
The Problem
You install a new plugin and assume its default permissions are safe. Many plugins default to permissive settings to ensure "it works out of the box."
Why It's Dangerous
Some plugins grant permissions to everyone by default:
- Economy plugins might allow self-balance-setting
- Teleport plugins might allow /tp to anyone
- Chat plugins might allow colored chat or formatted messages
Real Incident
An admin installed a shop plugin that defaulted shop.admin.set-price to all players. Users discovered they could set any item's price to 1 coin, crashed the economy, and bought out valuable items instantly.
The Fix
After installing ANY plugin:
- Check its documentation for default permissions
- Explicitly deny dangerous permissions to lower groups:
/hp group default permission set newplugin.admin.* false
/hp group default permission set newplugin.bypass.* false
- Test with a new account before announcing the plugin is live
Mistake #5: Circular or Conflicting Inheritance
The Problem
Inheritance seems simple until it isn't:
/hp group moderator parent add admin
/hp group admin parent add moderator
This creates a circular dependency. Depending on how the plugin handles it, you might get:
- Infinite loops
- Missing permissions
- Random permission grants
- Server crashes
Another Form: Conflicting Parents
/hp group staff parent add moderator
/hp group staff parent add builder
If both moderator and builder have the same permission with different values, which wins?
Why It's Dangerous
Unpredictable behavior means permissions might not work as expected. Staff might have powers they shouldn't, or lack powers they need.
The Fix
Keep inheritance simple and linear:
Default → Member → Helper → Moderator → Admin → Owner
Each group has exactly one parent. No circles, no conflicts.
If you need complex structures, use HyperPerms' inheritance graph visualizer to see exactly how permissions flow.
How HyperPerms Helps Prevent These Mistakes
HyperPerms includes several features specifically designed to prevent security issues:
Permission Validation
The web editor warns you when:
- You're about to grant a wildcard
- A permission is being negated by inheritance
- Circular inheritance is detected
Clear Inheritance Visualization
See exactly how permissions flow through your hierarchy with the interactive graph view. No more guessing what a group can do.
Permission Search with Descriptions
Don't know what a permission does? Search by name or browse categories. Every permission includes a description of its effect.
Audit Trail (Coming Soon)
Track who changed what and when. If someone grants dangerous permissions, you'll know.
Security Checklist
Before launching or after any major permission changes:
- Default group has minimal permissions
- No wildcards at lower ranks
- Explicit denials for sensitive permissions
- Tested permissions with fresh accounts
- No circular inheritance
- Reviewed plugin default permissions
- Documented who has what access
What to Do If You've Been Griefed
Already happened? Here's the recovery plan:
- Shut down immediately — Stop further damage
- Restore from backup — You do have backups, right?
- Audit permissions — Find the hole that was exploited
- Fix the mistake — Use the guidelines above
- Test thoroughly — Before reopening
- Document — Write down what happened and how you fixed it
The Bottom Line
Permission mistakes are the #1 cause of server griefing. The good news? They're 100% preventable with careful setup and regular audits.
Use HyperPerms' visual editor to see exactly what each group can do. Prevent mistakes before they happen, not after your server is ash.