mkdir(2) on System V

a.reed hfavr at mtuxo.UUCP
Tue May 6 15:05:42 AEST 1986


This is a retraction. When I read

> > > UNIX system V users may have remarqued there is no "mkdir(2)" system call.
> > > It is replaced by "mknod(2)", but must be executed only by super-user.

I assumed that the mkdir(2) referred to by the above was the one I once
used on a university system. I answered

> > mkdir(2) was a security problem (think about it).

To which Guy Harris responded:

> What the hell are you talking about?  Do you know what the "mkdir" system
> call actually does?  Are you aware that it makes a directory *with the "."
> and ".." entries included*?

Now, the mkdir(2) I remembered did not do this. Moreover, G.H. writes that

> The "mkdir" system call  appeared in 4.2BSD.  It was not in V7,
> and wasn't added in S3 or S5.

It appears that the mkdir(2) I used was a local enhancement BSD later picked
up (and fixed the security hole).

Mea maxima culpa.
				Adam Reed <ihnp4!npois!adam>



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