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From: singer@spar.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.micro.68k,net.arch
Subject: Re: SUID Patent
Message-ID: <248@spar.SPAR.SLB.COM>
Date: Mon, 6-Oct-86 10:50:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: spar.248
Posted: Mon Oct  6 10:50:17 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 8-Oct-86 00:01:47 EDT
References: <508@elmgate.UUCP> <64@mit-prep.ARPA>
Reply-To: singer@spar.UUCP (David Singer)
Organization: Schlumberger Palo Alto Research - CASLAB
Lines: 9
Keywords: (SUID Patent)
Summary: CAPability machine
Xref: mnetor net.micro.68k:1359 net.arch:3218

The Cambridge CAP computer (project started in 1970) allowed programmers
to let programs they created use any of the privileges (capabilities) they
had, and allowed the programmer to grant the capability to run any program
they created to other people;  this did not permit others to get at the
capabilties held by the program.  Seems that SUID is a very restricted case
of this.  (Alas, I have no date on the invention of the capability system,
but since it is fundamental to the project, the philosophical details almost
certainly come from very early on, and probably pre-date the official
project start).