Date: Sat, 19 Jul 1997 12:27:46 +0200 From: sthaug@nethelp.no To: andreas@klemm.gtn.com Cc: hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: sendmail complains about being unable to write his pid file Message-ID: <15406.869308066@verdi.nethelp.no> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Sat, 19 Jul 1997 12:08:26 %2B0200" References: <19970719120826.19772@gtn.com>
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> > I'm always nervous about directories owned by bin, on the assumption > > that bin might be easier to break than root, and could then be used > > as a stepstone to breaking root. > > I don't believe this, because bin isn't a password protected login. > Look here: > bin:*:3:7:Binaries Commands and Source,,,:/:/nonexistent That's fine - until somebody decides to run NFS. Then all bets are off. > I think it's a BSDism. bin is the UID and GID for Binaries, Commands > and source as shown by the entry in /etc/passwd ... Yes, but the question stands - why is it setup this way? What is gained by having binaries (and important directories) owned by bin instead of root? Steinar Haug, Nethelp consulting, sthaug@nethelp.no
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