Re: Unix Security for Unix Gurus

From: Marin Dimitrov <marin_at_sirma.bg>
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 10:23:38 +0300
Message-Id: <10633.118117@fatcity.com>

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Suppose I place a program called "ps" or "df" or whatever popular in = /tmp (or somewhere else) that is a trojan horse sending the password = file to a remote host. Then if the root changes directory to /tmp and = tries "ps" or "df" u have a problem because the trojan horse will be = executed instead of the binaries in /bin

hth,

Marin =20

"The happier people can be, the unhappier they are..."

                              "Veronika decides to die", Paolo Coelho

Original Message -----=20 From: Sanjay Kumar=20 To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L=20 Sent: Thursday, September 28, 2000 04:30 Subject: Unix Security for Unix Gurus

Hi,

I was going thru the Unix documentation and came across the following.

This is about setting PATH. The following is one of the suggestions = for setting efficient PATH.

If security is not a concern, put the current working directory (.) = first in the path.

However, including the current working directory in the path poses a = security risk

that you might want to avoid, especially for superuser.

My question is how does setting the current directory pose a security = threat?

TIA Sanjay Kumar

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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Suppose I place a program called "ps" or "df" or =
whatever=20
popular in /tmp (or somewhere else) that is a trojan horse sending the = password=20
file to a remote host. Then if the root changes directory to /tmp = and tries=20
"ps" or "df" u have a problem because the trojan horse will be executed = instead=20
of the binaries in /bin</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>hth,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>    Marin     =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>------------</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"The happier people can be, the unhappier they are..."</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR>          &nbs=
p;           &nbsp= ;      =20 "Veronika decides to die", Paolo Coelho</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20

style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: = 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px">   <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>   <DIV=20
  style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B>=20
  <A href=3D"mailto:ora_user_at_hotmail.com" = title=3Dora_user_at_hotmail.com>Sanjay=20
  Kumar</A> </DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = href=3D"mailto:ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com"=20
  title=3DORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L</A> =
</DIV>

  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, September 28, = 2000=20
  04:30</DIV>
  <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Unix Security for Unix =

  Gurus</DIV>
  <DIV><BR></DIV>
  <DIV><FONT face=3DArial>

  <P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>Hi,</FONT></P>   <P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>I was going thru the Unix = documentation=20
  and came across the following.</FONT></P>   <P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2>This is about setting PATH. = The=20
  following is one of the suggestions for setting efficient = PATH.</FONT></P>
  <P><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman"><FONT size=3D2><STRONG>If security = is not a=20
  concern, put the current working directory (.) first in the=20   path.</STRONG></FONT></P>
  <P><FONT size=3D2><STRONG>However, including the current working = directory in=20
  the path poses a security risk</STRONG></FONT></P>   <P><FONT size=3D2><STRONG>that you might want to avoid, especially for =

  superuser.</STRONG></FONT></P>
  <P><FONT size=3D2>My question is how does setting the current = directory pose a=20
  security threat?</FONT></P>
  <P><FONT size=3D2>TIA</FONT></P>
  <P><FONT size=3D2>Sanjay=20 Received on Thu Sep 28 2000 - 02:23:38 CDT