SECURITY Concerns for Unix systems

Bob Ankeney bob at reed.UUCP
Thu Apr 11 01:44:27 AEST 1991


     A recently posted program brings up a common security problem with Unix
systems - that of read permissions on disk devices in /dev.  The posted program
allows files to be read from any filesystem with read permission to the user.
The filesystem need not be mounted.  Now might be a good time to check
permissions on your system!
     Speaking of permissions, I've noticed a number of Unix systems with mode
777 on the root directory!  This is an easy in for anyone wanting super-user
access.  I've noticed this on both AT&T and NCR unix boxes.


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Bob Ankeney                    | "Yield and overcome.                |
...!tektronix!reed!bob         |  Bend and be straight.              |
...!tektronix!bob at reed.BITNET  |  Empty and be full."    - Lao Tzu   |
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