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From: dcox@ssd.kodak.com (Don Cox (253-7121))
Newsgroups: news.software.b,news.software.nntp,alt.sys.sun
Subject: nntp question
Message-ID: <1990Dec12.223017.24545@ssd.kodak.com>
Date: 12 Dec 90 22:30:17 GMT
Sender: news@ssd.kodak.com
Distribution: na
Organization: Eastman Kodak
Lines: 45
Originator: dcox@coop

System: Sun4/260,  SunOS4.0.3
Cnews with nntp

I have installed Cnews with nntp on our news-server.  I have in the
nntp_access file the following:
default xmit no

This tells me that unless a machine is defined in the nntp_access file,
they can only transfer files and can not post.  This is true ONLY IF the
machine is in the /etc/hosts file on the YP master.  For example,
my machine, tweety, is in the /etc/hosts of the YP master, and another
machine, granny, is not.  Neither machine is in the nntp_access file.

When I execute the following command from tweety:
telnet news-server 119
I am told that posting on the nntp port IS NOT permitted.  When I
try the same command from granny (NOT in the /etc/hosts file):
telnet news-server 119
I am told that posting IS permitted.  Why didn't the default of no
posting tell granny the same as it did tweety?

If I put granny into the /etc/hosts file, then it is restricted from
posting also.

We have limited machinenames in our /etc/hosts file on the YP (NIS) master;
we are trying to have our nameserver resolve the IP addresses and machine-
names.  Is this a problem with the nameserver on Sun?  Or a problem with
nntp? Or what?  I definately don't want every machine in the world able
to post from my news-server, (or read from it either) and I sure can't 
put every machine in the world in my /etc/hosts file.

One of my colleagues seems to remember hearing about a bug in the way
the nameserver resolves addresses in SunOS4.0.3, but I couldn't verify
this.  I don't even know if this could be causing the problem if such a
bug did exist.

Sorry for another posting similar to one I posted yesterday, but I never
got a reply, and I consider this some-what of a serious security problem.

Thanks very much.
-- 
                  Don Cox
Phone (716) 253-7121      KMX (716) 253-7998
INTERNET    dcox@ssd.kodak.com
When an eel bites your leg, and the pain makes you beg, that's a moray!