Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bria!mike From: mike@bria.AIX (Mike Stefanik/78125) Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin Subject: Re: Preventing date rollback Message-ID: <306@bria.AIX> Date: 3 Jan 91 19:08:39 GMT References: <292@bria.AIX> <1976@necisa.ho.necisa.oz.au> Distribution: comp Organization: Briareus Corporation, Los Angeles, CA Lines: 24 In article <1976@necisa.ho.necisa.oz.au>, boyd@necisa.ho.necisa.oz.au (Boyd Roberts) writes: > In article <292@bria.AIX> mike@bria.AIX (Mike Stefanik/78125) writes: > > > > [ stuff about re-writting a string in an executable ] > > > >The above is preferable over using inode information such as access time, > >because that can easily be fudged. > > > > And what stops me from re-writing the string in the executable? Nothing, for the truly dedicated individual. The whole point of security (IMHO) is not to make it impossible, but to make it as *painful* as possible. Anyone with enough intellect, interest, dedication, etc. can break any security scheme. However, encoding the date in the executable would make it more painful for the would-be pirate than would using the touch command. If your looking for a perfect security scheme, then don't let anyone use your software but you. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Stefanik, Systems Engineer (JOAT), Briareus Corporation UUCP: ...!uunet!bria!mike "If it was hard to code, it should be harder to use!"