diff --git a/snap_openstack/base.py b/snap_openstack/base.py
index 6d8a295..f840035 100644
--- a/snap_openstack/base.py
+++ b/snap_openstack/base.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import logging
 import os
-import shutil
 import yaml
 
 from oslo_concurrency import lockutils
@@ -41,7 +40,6 @@ DEFAULT_UWSGI_ARGS = ["--master",
 DEFAULT_NGINX_ARGS = ["-g",
                       "daemon on; master_process on;"]
 
-DEFAULT_OWNER = "root:root"
 DEFAULT_DIR_MODE = 0o750
 DEFAULT_FILE_MODE = 0o640
 
@@ -155,49 +153,13 @@ class OpenStackSnap(object):
 
         with lockutils.lock('setup.lock', external=True,
                             lock_path=lock_file):
-            if 'users' in setup.keys():
-                for user, groups in setup['users'].items():
-                    home = os.path.join(
-                        "{snap_common}".format(**utils.snap_env),
-                        "lib", user
-                    )
-                    utils.add_user(user, groups, home)
-
-            default_owner = setup.get('default-owner', DEFAULT_OWNER)
-            default_user, default_group = default_owner.split(':')
-            default_dir_mode = setup.get('default-dir-mode',
-                                         DEFAULT_DIR_MODE)
-            default_file_mode = setup.get('default-file-mode',
-                                          DEFAULT_FILE_MODE)
 
             for directory in setup.get('dirs', []):
                 dir_name = directory.format(**utils.snap_env)
-                utils.ensure_dir(dir_name, perms=default_dir_mode)
-                utils.rchmod(dir_name, default_dir_mode, default_file_mode)
-                utils.rchown(dir_name, default_user, default_group)
-
-            if 'copyfiles' in setup.keys():
-                for source, target in setup['copyfiles'].items():
-                    source_dir = source.format(**utils.snap_env)
-                    dest_dir = target.format(**utils.snap_env)
-                    for source_name in os.listdir(source_dir):
-                        s_file = os.path.join(source_dir, source_name)
-                        d_file = os.path.join(dest_dir, source_name)
-                        if not os.path.isfile(s_file):
-                            continue
-                        LOG.debug('Copying file {} to {}'.format(s_file,
-                                                                 d_file))
-                        shutil.copy2(s_file, d_file)
-                        utils.chmod(d_file, default_file_mode)
-                        utils.chown(d_file, default_user, default_group)
+                utils.ensure_dir(dir_name, perms=DEFAULT_DIR_MODE)
 
             _render_templates(setup.get('templates', []), utils.snap_env,
-                              default_file_mode, default_user, default_group)
-
-            for target in setup.get('rchown', []):
-                target_path = target.format(**utils.snap_env)
-                user, group = setup['rchown'][target].split(':')
-                utils.rchown(target_path, user, group)
+                              DEFAULT_FILE_MODE, 'root', 'root')
 
             for target in setup.get('chmod', []):
                 target_path = target.format(**utils.snap_env)
@@ -218,7 +180,6 @@ class OpenStackSnap(object):
     def execute(self, argv):
         '''Execute snap command building out configuration and log options'''
         utils = SnapUtils()
-        setup = self.configuration['setup']
 
         entry_point = self.configuration['entry_points'].get(argv[1])
         if not entry_point:
@@ -308,13 +269,8 @@ class OpenStackSnap(object):
                 snap_env['pyargv'] = ' '.join(pyargv)
                 LOG.debug('Setting pyargv to: {}'.format(' '.join(pyargv)))
 
-            default_owner = setup.get('default-owner', DEFAULT_OWNER)
-            default_user, default_group = default_owner.split(':')
-            default_file_mode = setup.get('default-file-mode',
-                                          DEFAULT_FILE_MODE)
-
             _render_templates(entry_point.get('templates', []), snap_env,
-                              default_file_mode, default_user, default_group)
+                              DEFAULT_FILE_MODE, 'root', 'root')
 
         elif cmd_type == NGINX_EP_TYPE:
             cmd = ["{snap}/usr/sbin/nginx".format(**utils.snap_env)]
@@ -338,9 +294,5 @@ class OpenStackSnap(object):
                         LOG.debug('Configuration file {} not found'
                                   ', skipping'.format(cfile))
 
-        if 'run-as' in entry_point.keys():
-            user, groups = list(entry_point['run-as'].items())[0]
-            utils.drop_privileges(user, groups)
-
         LOG.debug('Executing command {}'.format(' '.join(cmd)))
         os.execvp(cmd[0], cmd)
diff --git a/snap_openstack/tests/test_snap_openstack.py b/snap_openstack/tests/test_snap_openstack.py
index d79d09f..8452cd7 100644
--- a/snap_openstack/tests/test_snap_openstack.py
+++ b/snap_openstack/tests/test_snap_openstack.py
@@ -63,7 +63,6 @@ class TestOpenStackSnapExecute(test_base.TestCase):
     def mock_snap_utils(self, mock_utils):
         snap_utils = mock_utils.return_value
         snap_utils.snap_env = MOCK_SNAP_ENV
-        snap_utils.drop_privileges.return_value = None
 
     @patch.object(base, 'SnapFileRenderer')
     @patch('snap_openstack.base.SnapUtils')
diff --git a/snap_openstack/utils.py b/snap_openstack/utils.py
index 8a0544e..c770c26 100644
--- a/snap_openstack/utils.py
+++ b/snap_openstack/utils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import grp
 import logging
 import os
 import pwd
-import subprocess
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -76,30 +75,6 @@ class SnapUtils(object):
             LOG.info('Creating directory {}'.format(dir_name))
             os.makedirs(dir_name, perms)
 
-    def add_user(self, user, groups, home):
-        '''Add user to the system as a member of one ore more groups'''
-        for group in groups:
-            try:
-                grp.getgrnam(group)
-            except KeyError:
-                LOG.debug('Adding group {} to system'.format(group))
-                cmd = ['addgroup', '--system', group]
-                subprocess.check_call(cmd)
-
-        try:
-            pwd.getpwnam(user)
-        except KeyError:
-            self.ensure_dir(home)
-            LOG.debug('Adding user {} to system'.format(user))
-            cmd = ['adduser', '--quiet', '--system', '--home', home,
-                   '--no-create-home', '--shell', '/bin/false', user]
-            subprocess.check_call(cmd)
-
-        for group in groups:
-            LOG.debug('Adding user {} to group {}'.format(user, group))
-            cmd = ['adduser', user, group]
-            subprocess.check_call(cmd)
-
     def chown(self, path, user, group):
         '''Change the owner of the specified file'''
         LOG.debug('Changing owner of {} to {}:{}'.format(path, user, group))
@@ -111,32 +86,3 @@ class SnapUtils(object):
         '''Change the file mode bits of the specified file'''
         LOG.debug('Changing file mode of {} to {}'.format(path, oct(mode)))
         os.chmod(path, mode)
-
-    def rchown(self, root_dir, user, group):
-        '''Recursively change owner starting at the specified directory'''
-        self.chown(root_dir, user, group)
-        for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(root_dir):
-            for d in dirnames:
-                self.chown(os.path.join(dirpath, d), user, group)
-            for f in filenames:
-                self.chown(os.path.join(dirpath, f), user, group)
-
-    def rchmod(self, root_dir, dir_mode, file_mode):
-        '''Recursively change mode bits starting at the specified directory'''
-        self.chmod(root_dir, dir_mode)
-        for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(root_dir):
-            for d in dirnames:
-                self.chmod(os.path.join(dirpath, d), dir_mode)
-            for f in filenames:
-                self.chmod(os.path.join(dirpath, f), file_mode)
-
-    def drop_privileges(self, user, groups):
-        '''Drop privileges to the specified user and group(s)'''
-        LOG.debug('Dropping privileges to {}:{}'.format(user, groups))
-        uid = pwd.getpwnam(user).pw_uid
-        gid = grp.getgrnam(groups[0]).gr_gid
-        gids = [grp.getgrnam(g).gr_gid for g in groups]
-        os.setgroups([])
-        os.setgroups(gids)
-        os.setgid(gid)
-        os.setuid(uid)