Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!genrad!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!ron@brl-bmd From: ron%brl-bmd@sri-unix.UUCP Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Re: The security of UNIX Message-ID: <2609@sri-arpa.UUCP> Date: Mon, 27-Jun-83 21:10:21 EDT Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.2609 Posted: Mon Jun 27 21:10:21 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 1-Jul-83 00:05:06 EDT Lines: 40 From: Ron NatalieI'm sorry, but I must disagree with you. Being from some of the more paranoid sites, we have fixed a lot of the bugs that we have found (or experienced I might say) that relate to both system security (like breaking in, reading protected files, etc...) and just plain performance pains (like the process fork-a-holics). I would like to know about **any** bugs (one of the main reasons for lists of this type) so that I can fix them. If you really feel threatened you should read the list and plug the holes, as someone might find them even if they are not reading UNIX-WIZARDS. Perhaps we can reach a compromise by suggesting that security type bugs be accompanied by fixes or suggestions to avoid them. Hiding the fact that bugs exist may keep some of the less experienced hackers from breaking things, but will also keep the system maintainers from defending their systems against the more experienced goons. I came from a University who had a student run computer, and I worked both sides of the wall (both breaker and fixer). We had no UNIX-WIZARDS then, we only knew of the existance of a bug when the breaker was either flamboyant or sloppy enough to make it known to the rest of us what was happening. Real trivial errors were fixed immediately but since there was no way to inform the other sites about the bug, the mischievous just hopped on (using "stolen" telephone numbers) on a TIP and blew away some poor unsuspecting system accross the ARPANET. Our only respite was the UNIX conferences, where security was discussed by the few real UNIX gurus at the time, in bull sessions in the dorm of the University sponsoring the conference. The type of system maintainer who does not correct bugs in his system that are called to his attention from UNIX-WIZARDS, probably has some well known security problems that people are already exploiting (that they didn't obtain by reading UNIX-WIZARDS either). While I do not condone the use of this list as a source of ways to break security, I don't think that sticking our heads in the sand will make the problems go away. I feel our best bet is to keep informed. -Ron