Comment 2 for bug 178154

Here are far-better alternative default vfat mount options for gnome (this suggested fix has been copied from this related bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/118283)

Basically, instead of the vfat mount option "umask=022", you instead use "dmask=022" and "fmask=133"

Here is a procedure for testing and verify this suggested fix.

1. Within gconf-editor, I used the "Find" tool to search for "vfat" (searching also in all key names and key values). This returned the key "/system/storage/default_options/vfat"

2. I deleted the umask key, then added the 2 keys you suggested as follows:
dmask=022
fmask=133

3. Unmount all vfat drives, remount them again so these new mounting options get used. Now all directories/folders on my vfat USB flash drives and USB external hard drives are presented with the permissions:

drwxr-xr-x

...and all files on my vfat USB flash drives and USB external hard drives are presented with the permissions:

-rw-r--r--

Perfect! These permissions nicely match the default permissions you'd get for all newly-created files and directories under the default umask of 022 (that Ubuntu sets up by default for all users in /etc/profile)