From owner-freebsd-hackers Tue Oct 15 10:18:31 1996 Return-Path: owner-hackers Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id KAA21549 for hackers-outgoing; Tue, 15 Oct 1996 10:18:31 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mole.mole.org (marmot.mole.org [204.216.57.191]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) with SMTP id KAA21543 for ; Tue, 15 Oct 1996 10:18:27 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from mail@localhost) by mole.mole.org (8.6.12/8.6.12) id QAA27516; Tue, 15 Oct 1996 16:56:14 GMT Received: from meerkat.mole.org(206.197.192.110) by mole.mole.org via smap (V1.3) id sma027513; Tue Oct 15 16:55:53 1996 Received: (from mrm@localhost) by meerkat.mole.org (8.6.11/8.6.9) id JAA22817; Tue, 15 Oct 1996 09:55:08 -0700 Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 09:55:08 -0700 From: "M.R.Murphy" Message-Id: <199610151655.JAA22817@meerkat.mole.org> To: bde@zeta.org.au, luigi@labinfo.iet.unipi.it Subject: Re: /sbin/init permission Cc: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.org, j@uriah.heep.sax.de Sender: owner-hackers@FreeBSD.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk > > >> Complete set of standard executables with annoying permissions in > >> -current: > >> > >> -r-x------ 1 bin bin 20480 Oct 2 04:24 /sbin/init > >> -r-sr-x--- 1 root operator 12288 Oct 2 04:26 /sbin/shutdown > >> ---s--x--x 2 root bin 286720 Oct 2 04:19 /usr/bin/sperl4.036 > >> ---s--x--x 2 root bin 286720 Oct 2 04:19 /usr/bin/suidperl > >> -r-sr-x--- 1 uucp uucp 90112 Oct 2 04:09 /usr/libexec/uucp/uuxqt > >> -r-x------ 1 bin bin 12288 Oct 2 04:42 /usr/sbin/watch > >... > >for suid applications there is a reason for being restrictive. For > > I think security by obscurity is the only reason. This doesn't apply > to free software. I'd mention that this is argument by assertion and a misuse of "free" in "free software", but that would be pedantic and a cheap shot :-) If I feel like setting /usr/sbin/watch 0110 root.sys, that's my concern. If I felt strongly about it, I could have a script that does the deed to all the files I care about. Even though I don't have to have an 0111 /bin/cat to comply with my Western Electric license (ultra-scrupulous, I'll admit), there's no reason not to do so if I feel like it. I'm suggesting that the status quo isn't too bad. Let those who care, fix. -- Mike Murphy mrm@Mole.ORG +1 619 598 5874 Better is the enemy of Good