Article View: comp.admin.policy
Article #747/etc/passwd and generalizations
From: Ofer Inbar
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1991 05:39
Date: Sat, 22 Jun 1991 05:39
17 lines
1360 bytes
1360 bytes
Two things I'd like to point out: Any site on the Internet that runs fingerd is routinely giving away login names to all who want them. Login names are not difficult to find, so the fact that /etc/passwd gives them away is no big deal (in most cases). There are legitimate uses for accounts with no passwords. For example, an account with a "login shell" of /bin/who. Many of you probably use these, and know about them, but are overlooking them when you say things like "If I run grep :: /etc/passwd and get *anything* back ..." -- Cos (Ofer Inbar) -- cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu -- WBRS (BRiS) -- WBRS@binah.cc.brandeis.edu WBRS@brandeis.bitnet FidoNet: Ofer Inbar on 1:101/310 -- Ofer.Inbar@f310.n101.z1.fidonet.org The Boston Computer Society IBM PC User Group TBBS, (617) 332-5584
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arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mit-eddie!bbn.com!nic!news.cs.brandeis.edu!chaos.cs.brandeis.edu!cosReferences:
<20740@slice.ooc.uva.nl> <1991Jun13.114433.22530@rulway.LeidenUniv.nl> <Jun.13.12.24.51.1991.13029@pilot.njin.net>Show Full Headers
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Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mit-eddie!bbn.com!nic!news.cs.brandeis.edu!chaos.cs.brandeis.edu!cos From: cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Ofer Inbar) Newsgroups: comp.admin.policy Subject: /etc/passwd and generalizations Message-ID: <cos.677569152@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu> Date: 22 Jun 91 05:39:12 GMT References: <20740@slice.ooc.uva.nl> <1991Jun13.114433.22530@rulway.LeidenUniv.nl> <Jun.13.12.24.51.1991.13029@pilot.njin.net> Sender: usenet@news.cs.brandeis.edu Organization: Brandeis University Lines: 17