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Re: setuid scripts in SunOS 4.1.x


From: jhawk () panix com (John Hawkinson)
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 1994 16:17:15 -0400 (EDT)


me:
      The "correct" thing to do is to patch kern_exec.c (kern_exec.o).

Ummm, then how's it going to cope with set-uid perl scripts, which ARE
rumored to be secure?  You could have a table of 'ok shell
interpreters' in the kernel, but that would be extremely ugly.

Perl implements a solution. It has a program called suidperl, which
emulates setuid scripts when they are disabled, thus allowing setuid
perl scripts.

Since the problem is in /bin/sh, that is where it should be solved, or
at least avoided.  If you across-the-board disable all set-uid shell
interpreters, that will infuriate the few who do it right, and remove
any motivation for others to do it correctly.

And what software other than perl implements setuid scripts in a
secure manner?

--
John Hawkinson
jhawk () panix com



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