Xref: utzoo comp.unix.admin:1465 comp.unix.internals:2470
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!ncar!gatech!rutgers!cbmvax!amix!ag
From: ag@amix.commodore.com (Keith Gabryelski)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.admin,comp.unix.internals
Subject: Re: finger and chfn
Keywords: finger coredumps fieldlength checks
Message-ID: <1582@amix.commodore.com>
Date: 2 Apr 91 19:59:20 GMT
References: <1991Mar29.175847.25965@ucselx.sdsu.edu>
Reply-To: ag@amix.commodore.com (Keith Gabryelski)
Followup-To: comp.unix.admin
Distribution: na
Organization: Commodore-Amiga Unix Development
Lines: 33

I kind of doubt this is an internals question.  Followups to
comp.unix.admin although comp.sources.d might be better.

In article <1991Mar29.175847.25965@ucselx.sdsu.edu> nash@ucselx.sdsu.edu
(Ron Nash) writes:
>I manage a 4.3 BSD computer that has a brain dead chfn program.  The
>chfn program allows users to enter very long fields that cause finger
>to dump core.  I would love to get a copy of chfn fix this problem,
>or a copy of a version with this problem fixed.

Clue: finger dumps core.

The bug would seem to be in `finger' (or whatever finger uses to read
the password entry).  Fix it first.  You also may want a chfn that
doesn't allow users to enter sufficiently bizarre information to
protect other broken programs that may be a little more critical than
finger.

There are several finger implimentations out there.  One of which was
written by me that emulates the ITS finger with WHAT and TTYLOC
fields.  The BSD version is most likely free.  Several are available
on uunet.

There is atleast one publicly available chfn program out there written
by John F Haugh II (jfh@rpp386.cactus.org).  Probably available on
uunet.  There are two chsh programs on uunet owned by rsalz (of
comp.sources.unix fame).  Maybe one of these distributions has what
you need.

Pax, Keith
-- 
Keith Gabryelski                                 Advanced Products Group
ag@amix.commodore.com                                 ...!cbmvax!amix!ag