[comp.os.vms] $SETUAI

AWPSYS@RITVAX.BITNET (06/21/87)

>The old program to do this requires changing every time VMS changes the
>UAF. We get the following on both VMS 4.4 and VMS 4.5A (LAVC):
>
>%RMS-F-RNL, record not locked

This is the result of a known bug in $SETUAI (not security related).
This bug surfaces when you enable GRPPRV and try to call $SETUAI on
your own UAF record. It will work (with GRPPRV) on another record
in your group but not your own. These services read your
own record to ensure that your are not modifying a user in your group
to a higher priv/resource usage level than yourself. The bug occurs
when it fails to write updated info to your own record because it is
was not properly deaccessed by that separate RMS stream that did the
limits check.

The work arround is to use SYSPRV instead. With sysprv, the limit check is
not performed, (A  nice side effect is a faster update) (As usual all the
normal precautions in writing SYSPRVed code should be followed very
carefully)

Andrew W. Potter
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, New York
awpsys@ritvax.BITNET