From mboxrd@z Thu Jan  1 00:00:00 1970
Message-ID: <b3ca3f8790ad8bba7b3f091b955a3b86@quanstro.net>
To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu
Subject: Re: [9fans] security
From: erik quanstrom <quanstro@quanstro.net>
Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:38:48 -0400
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> 1) rc: the value of $path is (. /bin). It is a classic case not to  
> have . as the first directory when searching for programs - it allows  
> Trojan horses to form.

if you're the only one using your system, how could this be a problem?

but assuming you have multiple users on your system, how do you
propose that a target be tricked into cd'ing into a trojaned directory
and attempt to execute the magic command.  what would this trojaned
command do?  without setuid (or a superuser), the options are more
constrained.

perhaps there are systems where the mutal distrust between users is
that great.

> 2) auth server: why do we need one for passwords anyways if we run on  
> a desktop computer? I don't know how to set one up, but I'd just like  
> to set a password without an error spitting back at me when I type  
> "passwd".

this command should get you started
	man 8 authsrv

- erik