how to crash AIX V3 on RISC SYSTEM 6000

[Mark Whetzel]

I have found a very disturbing 'feature' of AIX on IBM's RISC SYSTEM
6000 that IBM insists is not a defect.  This can affect all users
of 6000's that have a HFT graphics console and AIXWINDOWS. 

On any 6000 when a standard user is running AIXWINDOWS on the console
they start X by issuing the xinit command.  While they are running
if you perform a ps -u <userid> you will see a list of your processes
that are owned by your account, this is fine and normal.  
NOTE that there is a process, in addition to your shell and X server
called 'kproc'.  I had a user that had a quick exit shell script that
issued a 'kill -9 to all of their processes.  

GUESS WHAT?  Killing the 'kproc' that is user owned will crash the
entire system in a lockup, no LED fault codes, no system errors, just
a complete lockup of the system.

I created a PMR 7E001 (problem managment request) with IBM on the problem
about a non-privlidged user being able to crash the entire system.

Their response was it was designed that way, and to change it will require
a DCR (design change request).  I suggest that all users of this 'mis-feature'
also request one of these, so we can fix this problem in the bud, before
we all have problems with this.

I understand that they cannot correct the problem as a 'defect', but can
you believe that they would design it this way, with such a complete
loophole? Why can't it just gracefully die at least, and not hang the
system?

I found their lack of concern over a system ingegrity problem very appalling.
That the 'problem' would not be fixed unless I requested it.

Thanks for letting me bend your ears.

-- 
Mark Whetzel     My comments are my own, not my company's.
Western Geophysical - A division of Western Atlas International,
A Litton/Dresser Company           DOMAIN addr: markw at airgun.wg.waii.com
				   UUNET address:  uunet!airgun!markw