From owner-freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG Wed May 23 18:34:21 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 721BD16A421 for ; Wed, 23 May 2007 18:34:21 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from mureninc@gmail.com) Received: from an-out-0708.google.com (an-out-0708.google.com [209.85.132.250]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 24D8213C465 for ; Wed, 23 May 2007 18:34:20 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from mureninc@gmail.com) Received: by an-out-0708.google.com with SMTP id c14so95711anc for ; Wed, 23 May 2007 11:34:15 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=beta; h=domainkey-signature:received:received:message-id:date:from:to:subject:cc:in-reply-to:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding:content-disposition:references; b=NdUx1OTGznnkMtcBG6bIUAR5raoaIlisQCYI2Ej+CWQzrXq0V0bJTz9JUshucTtNYwcXlhRtWHnkbnbdPCrp6LzLe6i073Ue8p36KvbYOt6SQ6ILlrJNsQMninszvsDgMgMry+WlgIq3JCkHn8EAUITstMbpKjYK2mdrDEh1UoI= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=beta; h=received:message-id:date:from:to:subject:cc:in-reply-to:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding:content-disposition:references; b=KuEbNUEMK3WXa/ydetqjnEA6P4GiXaueO8a885qHbSlV/7olxU4lHn0+UELIKgRFDUMRepMV1iMMneGfdv5YG1OTB/Z8lCBKjIwFjrlkoxXJxQ/O2dIaXCojxWDPhqWxy9Gwn2Cwv8NI4YAlI6rJG7ern5ZHTFQFugAT9o5sWT0= Received: by 10.100.46.19 with SMTP id t19mr796318ant.1179943580467; Wed, 23 May 2007 11:06:20 -0700 (PDT) Received: by 10.100.189.14 with HTTP; Wed, 23 May 2007 11:06:20 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 14:06:20 -0400 From: "Constantine A. Murenin" To: "Colin Percival" In-Reply-To: <46546E16.9070707@freebsd.org> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline References: <46546E16.9070707@freebsd.org> Cc: "freebsd-arch@freebsd.org" Subject: Re: RFC: Removing file(1)+libmagic(3) from the base system X-BeenThere: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion related to FreeBSD architecture List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 23 May 2007 18:34:21 -0000 On 23/05/07, Colin Percival wrote: > FreeBSD architects and file(1) maintainer, > > I'd like to remove file(1) and libmagic(3) from the FreeBSD base system > for the following reasons: > 1. I don't see it as being a necessary component of a UNIX-like operating > system. > 2. It's available in the ports tree. > 3. Due to its nature as a program which parses multiple data formats, it > poses an unusually high risk of having security problems in the future > (cf. ethereal/wireshark). > > The one redeeming feature of file/libmagic as far as security is concerned > is that it doesn't act as a daemon, i.e., other code or user intervention > is required for an attacker to exploit security issues. This is why I'm > asking here rather than wielding the "Security Officer can veto code which > he doesn't like" stick. :-) > > Can anyone make a strong argument for keeping this code in the base system? What about the manual page, History section? << There has been a file command in every UNIX since at least Research Ver- sion 4 (man page dated November, 1973). The System V version introduced one significant major change: the external list of magic number types. >> Cheers, Constantine.