Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ames.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!dual!ames!eugene From: eugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya) Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards Subject: Warning on Discussions about Security in unix-wizards Message-ID: <690@ames.UUCP> Date: Mon, 10-Dec-84 13:17:01 EST Article-I.D.: ames.690 Posted: Mon Dec 10 13:17:01 1984 Date-Received: Tue, 11-Dec-84 07:37:18 EST Distribution: net Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA Lines: 29 [leq: Unix, the FORTRAN of operating systems] This is not a flame; nor is it about security in particular. I am posting this to unix-wizards because of the reemergence of security as a topic for flaming on the wizards list. I realize there are many people reading this list who are not unix devotees, but I want to point out to the wizards that what they say can be used against them. Early on, this discussion broadly covered security in general. When this discussion shifts, in particular, to unix security, we create another set of problems. To the wizards: there are managers and other people reading this net who will use this 'security' information as a justification for not using Unix. This misaligned viewpoint not only berates this OS, but also tends to ignore possible security holes in systems such as VMS, VM/370, OS/32, EXEC*1100, and so on. [What? ...'s OS has security holes?! No way, but look at Unix...] To managers of other systems: go to your systems people and ask "If this problem happens on this other oprating system, can this or any thing like it happen on our XYZ OS?" I'm certain many will say no, [politically], but the value of this will be offset by holes found by others. I have had more problems with academic seminar speakers on security than any other single problem. --eugene miya NASA Ames Research Center {hplabs,ihnp4,dual,hao,vortex}!ames!aurora!eugene emiya@ames-vmsb.ARPA