Guide to writing secure setuid programs?

Bob Larson blarson at skat.usc.edu
Mon Mar 14 09:41:53 AEST 1988


In article <700 at virginia.acc.virginia.edu> scl at virginia.acc.Virginia.EDU (Steve Losen) writes:
>2)  Avoid setuid if you can.  I once wrote a very simple print spooler
>	that puts files in a directory where they are picked up periodically
>	by a daemon to be printed.  I made the directory 777 instead of using
>	setuid-to-lp fraud.  Sure a malicious user can remove files in the
>	print queue. So what?

So what?  It depends a lot on what you are printing.  When someone
modifies the batch of checks waiting to be printed or gives the
confedintial information you were printing to a compeditor I doubt
your boss wold say "So what?".
-- 
Bob Larson	Arpa: Blarson at Ecla.Usc.Edu	blarson at skat.usc.edu
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