Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!decwrl!uunet!mcsun!hp4nl!htsa!miquels
From: miquels@htsa.htsa.aha.nl (Miquel van Smoorenburg)
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: Curses
Message-ID: <119@htsa.htsa.aha.nl>
Date: 14 Jun 91 09:41:10 GMT
References: <}0K*`?+@cck.cov.ac.uk# <33563@usc.edu>
Organization: Polytechnical Institute AHA-TMF, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Lines: 34

In article <33563@usc.edu# kjh@pollux.usc.edu (Kenneth J. Hendrickson) writes:
#In article <}0K*`?+@cck.cov.ac.uk> csg020@uk.ac.cov.cck (***CURTIS***) writes:
#>Also, has anyone noticed that if you strings /dev/kmem it shows up everyones
#>decrypted password who has logged on since the bring up of the system?!
#
#This is bad.  Not only because ordinary users may be able to find out
#the root password (if the superuser isn't so smart), but also because
#the superuser is able to find out other users passwords (if he is).
#
#This is a most serious security hole.  It also means that on PC's that
#aren't running in protected mode, and maybe Macs, have no security at
#all.
#
#Perhaps an easy solution is to have the login program, and the su
#program, go and scribble over each copy of entered passwords after they
#are used.  Both login and su should be able to do this since they are
#both suid.  Any comments on this idea?  Should it go into 1.6.* right
#away?
#
#-- 
#favourite oxymorons:   student athlete, military justice, mercy killing
#Ken Hendrickson N8DGN/6       kjh@usc.edu      ...!uunet!usc!pollux!kjh

Nope. A user should not be able to read from /dev/[k]mem. If he can,
that's wrong. And on a PC (or Mac?) it is not only possible to READ
all the memory, but also to WRITE it. So there is no security anyway.
(Just change the kernel's proc table, the UID field ofcourse)
Miquel.

-- 
---
%    Miquel van Smoorenburg, Baljuwstraat 20, 2461 SL Langeraar, Holland    %
%  miquels@drinkel.nl.mugnet.org         miquels@maestro.htsa.aha.nl        %
%              God is real, unless declared integer..                       %