Path: utzoo!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!know!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!batcomputer!munnari.oz.au!metro!news
From: glenn@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (Glenn Geers)
Newsgroups: alt.sources
Subject: Re: GENERAL WARNING
Message-ID: <1990Sep29.004107.17548@metro.ucc.su.OZ.AU>
Date: 29 Sep 90 00:41:07 GMT
Reply-To: glenn@suphys.physics.su.OZ.AU (Glenn Geers)
Organization: School of Physics, Uni of Sydney, Australia.
Lines: 25


What about vendors deliberately putting trap-doors in their distributed 
binaries?

We had a Dual Chapparal (68020 Sys V.2 with FFS) and after a long time (several
years) discovered that 'su' worked without a password provided the users
current directory was /etc! I think that this was left in so that engineers
doing on-sight servicing could become 'root' without having to have a sys admin
type around. Still this is rather rude (and undocumented of course).

Just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth (for the last time---Australia is ceasing
to mint 1 and 2 cent coins this year).

					Cheers,
						Glenn

glenn@qed.physics.su.oz.au



--
Glenn Geers                       | "So when it's over, we're back to people.
Department of Theoretical Physics |  Just to prove that human touch can have
The University of Sydney          |  no equal."
Sydney NSW 2006 Australia         |  - Basia Trzetrzelewska, 'Prime Time TV'