From owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Aug 17 11:14:37 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D4BFC37B401 for ; Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:14:37 -0700 (PDT) Received: from episec.com (episec.com [198.78.65.141]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 63B9D43F93 for ; Sun, 17 Aug 2003 11:14:37 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from edelkind-freebsd-hackers@episec.com) Received: (qmail 47676 invoked by uid 1024); 17 Aug 2003 18:13:15 -0000 Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 14:13:15 -0400 From: ari To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Message-ID: <20030817181315.GL55671@episec.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Subject: [future patch] dropping user privileges on demand X-BeenThere: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Technical Discussions relating to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2003 18:14:38 -0000 Currently, root is the only user that can actually drop significant privileges, as root is the only user that has access to such functions. This is flawed --- any user should be able to relinquish his privileges, and i've begun a patch to put this into effect. However, the fact that this is a security-related kernel feature modification warrants peer-review, in both design and implementation. It would be unwise of me to create the patch without consulting such. The web page that discusses the patch may be found at: http://www.episec.com/people/edelkind/patches/kernel/flowpriv/ I welcome any discussion and criticism. ari