Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!apple!vsi1!daver!lynx!m5
From: m5@lynx.uucp (Mike McNally)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: access()
Message-ID: <5691@lynx.UUCP>
Date: 5 Jun 89 17:30:15 GMT
Reply-To: m5@lynx.UUCP (Mike McNally)
Distribution: na
Organization: Lynx Real-Time Systems Inc, Campbell CA
Lines: 28

Is it appropriate that access("somefile", X_OK) always succeeds
(returns 0), whether "somefile" has an "x" bit or not, when called
while the eff. user id is root?

For the curious, I tested this under 4.3BSD on my Integrated
"Solutions" 68020 box with the following program:

main(ac, av)
int ac;
char **av;
{
    printf("%d\n", access(av[1], atoi(av[2])));
}

The program is invoked as "t something 1".  When run on a particular
file while not setuid to root, it prints -1 for a plain text file
without any "x" bits.  After I setuid to root, the exact same
invocation prints 0.  Of course, even while setuid, an attempt to
execute the file fails with EACCES.

Note that I don't want to start another war about the usefulness of
access().

-- 
Mike McNally                                    Lynx Real-Time Systems
uucp: {voder,athsys}!lynx!m5                    phone: 408 370 2233

            Where equal mind and contest equal, go.