[comp.sys.apollo] Resetting TCP servers

donaldg@Stardent.COM (Donald Gale) (02/12/91)

	Has anyone out there written a script to reset
	the tcpd, inetd, and routed without rebooting the node ?
	I've written a script to do this, but it must be executed
	as root. I need a script that any user can run to reset
	his/her tcp processes. We don't want every user to learn
	the root password, either.

	Does anyone have a workaround or any info. whatsoever.
	Please Email.

	Don Gale - Stardent Computer
	donaldg@stardent.com
	(508) 371-9810 x 268

thompson@PAN.SSEC.HONEYWELL.COM (John Thompson) (02/14/91)

> <<forwarded message>>
> 	Has anyone out there written a script to reset
> 	the tcpd, inetd, and routed without rebooting the node ?
> 	I've written a script to do this, but it must be executed
> 	as root. I need a script that any user can run to reset
> 	his/her tcp processes. We don't want every user to learn
> 	the root password, either.

TCP/IP processes must execute as root.  If you want normal users to be
able to start these, you have 3 choices :
    1) Give everybody the root password
    2) Make all tcp daemons setuid root
    3) Write a setuid program that forks a shell to run a script
If you do (3), you need to make sure that the script it runs is locked 
up tight, since nefarious people would put in their own commands, given
the opportunity.  I don't know for a fact that (2) would work, since the
daemons might check actual UID as well as effective UID.  You seem to
have a problem with (1), though I can't imagine why....     :-)

-- jt --
John Thompson
Honeywell, SSEC
Plymouth, MN  55441
thompson@pan.ssec.honeywell.com

As ever, my opinions do not necessarily agree with Honeywell's or reality's.
(Honeywell's do not necessarily agree with mine or reality's, either)