Xref: utzoo unix-pc.general:336 comp.sys.att:2478
Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!im4u!woton!uhnix1!nuchat!flatline!erict
From: erict@flatline.UUCP (eric townsend)
Newsgroups: unix-pc.general,comp.sys.att
Subject: Re: Major security problem in the UA: looking for a real fix
Summary: Here's my solution.
Keywords: UNIX PC, UA, security hole
Message-ID: <402@flatline.UUCP>
Date: 13 Feb 88 23:49:10 GMT
References: <1023@woton.UUCP> <2017@bsu-cs.UUCP> <118@bergy.UUCP> <114@hodge.UUCP>
Organization: flatline in Houston(Montrose, really), Tx.
Lines: 29

In article <114@hodge.UUCP>, rusty@hodge.UUCP (Rusty Hodge) writes:
[Some stuff on security...]
> Let's face it: the UA is *evil*.  Get rid of it. Hide it in a nested directory
> and take away its execute privledges.  Make it go away.
> 
> Root will still be able to get to most of those nifty UA-run programs for
> screen-oriented system administration. :->


I agree, UA is evil.  I use it on my console, but don't allow dial-ups
to use it.

A few comments:

If you're going to have a multi-user UNIX-PC, make sure you trust the users
and they trust each other.  My last place of employment had no problem
with security because everybody worked together. (The few rare times
we multi-user'd a 3b1, that is.)

Don't multi-user it.  If you're going to have dial-up lines to run, say,
a bbs, have the person execute the bbs on login and keep them away
from shell access.

Or just get rid of the 3b1 and buy a Connection Machine... :-)
-- 
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If I wish really hard, will IBM go away forever?        | computing power..
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J. Eric Townsend ->uunet!nuchat!flatline!erict smail:511Parker#2,Hstn,Tx,77007