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Date:      Fri, 17 May 1996 12:09:30 +0200 (MET DST)
From:      Vladimir Jojic <vjojic@EUnet.yu>
To:        freebsd-security@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: very bad
Message-ID:  <199605171009.MAA00475@EUnet.yu>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSF.3.91.960517012516.20464H-100000@onyx.nervosa.com> from "invalid opcode" at May 17, 96 01:26:43 am

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Hi,

What IS very bad about this whole thing, isn't existance of this bug,
as much as how easliy information about it can be obtained. Even if 
you do send patch along with info, there is still danger that someone,
gets up earlier than root, and then ... (sweat dreams, root!)

I am not very familiar with mailing list programs, but there is posible
improvment (if it isn't yet done):

- add special class of mailing list, such as security list

- when user wants to be added to this list, program checks
  if his root (of system from which mail came) is on the 
  list:
	1. yes, inform root (or address he left), about
	   that user (even ask if he allows him to join
	   this list, this is a bit fascist, but that's
 	   security)
        2. not, inform root about existence of this list
	   ask him if he wants to join (where to send him
	   mail, how much to *delay* info on bugs to users
	   on his system, or not even allow them to join
           (hey, maybe system is crackers nest))
           if not, ask him should the user be allowed to
           join list

I believe that it is obvious why *delay* is so important.

This is just the sketch, of course. 
Maybe this message isn't for this list, but it certainly concerns, all
of the readers.

I admit that *delay* is a bit strong, but so are the closed list.
There is still one problem, if we have a roOT od small system not 
connected to Internet, he can receive mail only on other system, 
that is connected. ROot of system connected to Internet, receives
info before roOT of small system, and if has any malicious intention, 
he can surely, mess things up. But that comes to domain of human nature.

I am not saying that this will solve all problems, but will
*delay* some.
        
Please, give your opinions on this,
Vladimir Jojic
(guru apprentice, still looking for teacher ... :) 
vjojic@EUnet.yu
	   

> 
> On Fri, 17 May 1996, Jordan K. Hubbard wrote:
> 
> > Ow! :-(
> > 
> > Thanks for reporting this!
> > 
> > You know though, for ones this bad I'd really rather you sent the
> > message to security-officer@freebsd.org rather than freebsd-security
> > in the future.  There are easily over 1000 people on this list and you
> > just announced a cookbook method for any shell account user to go root
> > on a FreeBSD based ISP box; hardly the kind of information one would
> > want to see widely circulated without a prepared fix, at the
> > least. :-(
> > 					Jordan
> 
> Too bad it's already on BUGTRAQ and BoS which is way more than 1000 :-(
> And I would have sent it to security-officer@freebsd.org had I even known 
> of such an address. The prepared fix is chmod u-s /sbin/mount_union.
> 
> == Chris Layne ======================================== Nervosa Computing ==
> == coredump@nervosa.com ================ http://www.nervosa.com/~coredump ==
> 
> 




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