On Fri, Jul 28, 2000 at 10:47:34AM +0200, Leos Bitto wrote:
> > Is /sbin/unix_chkpwd really used and what is it used for? I haven't find
> > anything about it in pam documentation.
>
> It allows PAM modules (after some sanity checks - use the source, Luke!)
> to access /etc/shadow without further need for uid==0.
Anyway, it should be noted somewhere in pam docs. /sbin/pwdb_chkpwd is
meant there so /sbin/unix_chkpwd could be too.
I wonder there are root setuid binaries completely without documentation.
(I have to download sources from dialup/PPP :\ )
> > What is /usr/bin/sperl5.00503 (suidperl) being used for? Why this doesn't
> > have a manpage? Is it necessary?
>
> It is necessary for perl to be able to properly execute scripts with suid
> bit set. Again: if you don't need that, feel free to delete suidperl.
As somebody noted in private mail, man perlsec explains it clearly. I vote
for linking suidperl->sperl->perlsec manpage ...
(just an OLD HISTORY note for interested:
http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-97.17.sperl.html)
> > According to glibc documentation /usr/libexec/pt_chown doesn't need to be
> > setuid nor is not used at all on RH6.2 (see /usr/doc/glibc-2.1.3/INSTALL),
> > why does RH6.2 ships it setuid root?
>
> /usr/libexec/pt_chown is being used for example by my favorite xterm
> clone, gnome-terminal. Every xterm-alike apllication needs to chown your
> tty. I think that doing it via a small wrapper (pt_chown) is much better
> way than giving suid bit to that whole application.
The documentation I noted (/usr/doc/glibc-2.1.3/INSTALL) says:
...
If you are using a 2.1 or newer Linux kernel with the `devptsfs' or
`devfs' filesystems providing pty slaves, you don't need this program;
otherwise you do.
...
Red Hat 6.x ships with 2.2.x with devptsfs compiled in. AFAIK xterm and
friends (rxvt, xterm, gnome-terminal ...) doesn't need
/usr/libexec/pt_chown, works well without it and they doesn't need to
be root setuid ...
> > Have a nice day
>
> 2U2 :)
dtto. ;)
P.S. The world is so small ...
--
< Martin Mačok martin macok underground cz <iso-8859-2>
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