Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!comp.vuw.ac.nz!am.dsir.govt.nz!dsiramd!marcamd!tcnz2!greg
From: greg@tcnz2.tcnz.co.nz (Greg Calkin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ncr
Subject: Re: how do I resurrect an old tower
Keywords: ncr tower
Message-ID: <463@tcnz2.tcnz.co.nz>
Date: 23 Oct 90 08:03:20 GMT
References: <1990Oct19.102703.3693@quagga.uucp> <134@sean.UUCP>
Reply-To: greg@tcnz.co.nz (Greg Calkin)
Organization: Thomas Cook NZ Head Office, Auckland, NZ
Lines: 20

In article <134@sean.UUCP> mka@sean.UUCP (mka) writes:
>1. you must be able to get on the machine (log in) with any uid possible.
>This means find an unprotected login (no password). The ones I try are
[... list of logins deleted ...]

Check the permissions of /etc and /. Once you login, check /etc/passwd for
a login with root priviledges without a password. If one exists, login using
it and clean up the system. If it doesn't exist, see if you can get into
a login with permission to write to the / directory or the /etc directory
and then use it to edit the /etc/passwd file and give yourself root access.

It is surprising how badly defended most machines are against even a weak
attack like this. Very few can stand up to a Unix knowledgable user. For 
those of you who think this posting encourages hackers, check you own security.


-- 
Greg Calkin, Systems Engineer {include "sexual_hard_sell"}   (greg@tcnz.co.nz)
Thomas Cook N.Z. Limited, PO Box 24, Auckland CPO, New Zealand, Ph (09)-793920
Disclaimer : Would you buy a used car from someone with these opinions ?