ctime

The term *ctime* typically refers to "change time" in computer systems, which records when a file's metadata (like permissions or ownership) was last modified. It is one of the timestamps used to track file history, alongside creation and modification times. Unlike creation time, which shows when a file was originally created, *ctime* updates whenever the file's attributes are changed. This allows system administrators and users to monitor changes to files for security, auditing, or organizational purposes. Overall, *ctime* provides a record of the most recent change to a file's details in the system.