🚀 go-pugleaf

[ this isn't about TeX, so followups to gnu.misc.discuss ]

fritzz@lamont.ldgo.columbia.edu (fritz zaucker) writes:

>Wasn't there a virus spread by legally sold software for the Mac?  By
>the way, an older version of GNU Emacs (which is running at the site
>who requested that info) installed some program as setuid root by
>mistake and created a major security hole.

This is slightly wrong.  GNU Emacs didn't install the program ("movemail")
setuid anything.  From the GNU Emacs FAQ file:

] 82:  Are there any security risks in GNU Emacs?
]   
]   * the `movemail' incident (No, this is not a risk.)
]   
]     Cliff Stoll in his book `The Cuckoo's Egg' describes this in chapter 4.
]     The site at LBL had installed the `etc/movemail' program setuid root.
]     Since `movemail' had not been designed for this situation, a security
]     hole was created and users could get root priveleges.
]   
]     `movemail' has since been changed so that even if it is installed setuid
]     root this security hole will not be a result.
]   
]     I have heard unverified reports that the Internet worm took advantage of
]     this configuration problem.

-- 
    Tim Ramsey, 913.532.6750
    Department of Mathematics
    Kansas State University