Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2003 04:24:05 +0100 From: Mark <admin@asarian-host.net> To: "David Malone" <dwmalone@maths.tcd.ie> Cc: <freebsd-bugs@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: bin/46838: security vulnerability in dump Message-ID: <200301080324.H083ONJ61009@asarian-host.net> References: <200301072050.h07Ko4Kj025064@freefall.freebsd.org> <20030107211547.GD82447@walton.maths.tcd.ie>
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----- Original Message -----
From: "David Malone" <dwmalone@maths.tcd.ie>
To: "Mark" <admin@asarian-host.net>
Cc: <freebsd-bugs@FreeBSD.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 07, 2003 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: bin/46838: security vulnerability in dump
> On Tue, Jan 07, 2003 at 12:50:04PM -0800, Mark wrote:
>
> > I realize running "umask 077" will prevent this problem. But I also
> > believe dump is a special case, as most individual programs do not
> > create world-readable files containing root's view of the filesystem
> > data.
>
> Just about any command can create world readable files containing
> root's view of a filesystem: cp, tar, cat, dd. I'd also expect
> that people may use dump to create (say) group readable files which
> can be restored by those in group operator, or somesuch.
You make a cogent case for group rights. But, likewise, I cannot conceive of
any plausible scenario where a dump-file would ever have to be
world-readable. Or is there? So why not make it write "umask 007"? That
would maintain all necessary sharing rights for group operator and such, yet
prevent all the world and his friend to have a peek too.
> If there's a general consensus for change, I'll go along with it -
> otherwise I'll close the PR as one of the many ways unix offers you
> to shoot yourself in the foot.
It is a good thing that UNIX offers tools so powerful that one can shoot
oneself in the foot; but why preconfigure the gun to be aimed at it? :)
- Mark
System Administrator Asarian-host.org
---
"If you were supposed to understand it,
we wouldn't call it code." - FedEx
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