Re: The Real Reason setuid is insecure

2009-03-31 Thread John Summerfield

Jack Woehr wrote:

There are any number of thousands of pieces on the web about this,
but the real problem with setuid is that it is a hinged chopstick.

A command that you execute because you can is one security risk.
You fix that by auditing the code and installing the executable such
that only root almighty can write over it. A setuid command has a
hinge in it, a second vulnerability. Who gets to execute it in any
scenario. A setuid script is two hinges in it: Who gets to execute,
and who gets to edit the script.


What are you carrying on about?

Oh, I see. It's April Fool's day.



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Cheers
John

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The Real Reason setuid is insecure

2009-03-31 Thread Jack Woehr

There are any number of thousands of pieces on the web about this,
but the real problem with setuid is that it is a hinged chopstick.

A command that you execute because you can is one security risk.
You fix that by auditing the code and installing the executable such
that only root almighty can write over it. A setuid command has a
hinge in it, a second vulnerability. Who gets to execute it in any
scenario. A setuid script is two hinges in it: Who gets to execute,
and who gets to edit the script.

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Jack J. Woehr# I run for public office from time to time. It's like
http://www.well.com/~jax # working out at the gym, you sweat a lot, don't get
http://www.softwoehr.com # anywhere, and you fall asleep easily afterwards.

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