Date: 26 Jul 2005 20:35:44 -0400 From: Lowell Gilbert <freebsd-questions-local@be-well.ilk.org> To: Lane <lane@joeandlane.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: cat /dev/urandom Message-ID: <44wtndnl0f.fsf@be-well.ilk.org> In-Reply-To: <200507261807.23024.lane@joeandlane.com> References: <20050726183029.M97284@neptune.atopia.net> <d4b4435a050726153552b7de7@mail.gmail.com> <200507261807.23024.lane@joeandlane.com>
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Lane <lane@joeandlane.com> writes: > On Tuesday 26 July 2005 17:35, Michael Beattie wrote: > > On 7/26/05, Matt Juszczak <matt@atopia.net> wrote: > > > Hi all, > > > > > > Quick question. > > > > > > shell# cat /dev/urandom > > > > > > can that executed as root cause any harm to the system? What if a random > > > sequence of `rm *` was generated... would it be executed? > > > > > > I tried that to fix my terminal and forgot it might cause damage as root, > > > even if its just being cat'd to the screen. I thought I saw some files > > > fly by which would indicate an execution of `ls`.... > > > > > > Just curious.... > > > > If you had a file with an rm * in it and you cat'd it would it execute? > > _______________________________________________ > That's a good answer, but what if the command was: > > `cat /dev/urandom` > > could /dev/urandom generate arbitrary and potentially executable code? Sure. It also might produce "Hamlet".
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