Status of User Private Group Scheme (UPG)

[Dax Kelson]

Since as long as I can remember (the Mother's day release?), Red Hat
Linux implemented the User Private Group scheme out-of-the-box. It is
documented in all on-line Red Hat manuals.

It consists of two pieces:

a) private primary group for each user instead of "users"
b) umask of 002 for user accounts

According to the changelog for the setup RPM, /etc/bashrc was changed
last March to use 022 for all accounts. However, private primary groups
are still created for user accounts.

The current situation is odd, however, with (a) still in effect, but (b)
gone. There is no mention in any release notes that I can find.

Why the change, and what's the plan/status of UPG?

I can understand if UPG is going away, as the problem that UPG addresses
can be handled with FACLs and default ACLs on directories (my Linux
training manuals have now been updated with using-FACLs-instead-of-UPG).

IMHO, either UPG should stay in it's entirety, or it should go in it's
entirety.

Dax Kelson
Guru Labs