[comp.unix.ultrix] binmail

tage@sfd.uit.no (Tage Stabell-Kul) (09/20/89)

I had a problem with the mail.  Sendmail(8) reported "unknown mailer
error 255".  No mail were delivered.
I have found that the mail-delivery program binmail(1) (/bin/mail) requires 
that /dev/kmem have mode 444 (or more)

Two questions :

0) What info does /bin/mail read from kmem ?
1) /bin/mail is setuid-root.  Do the program do a setuid , if so, to
whom ?

|Tage Stabell-Kuloe                  |Fast:     tage@sfd.uit.no              |
|Department of Computer Science,     |Official: postmaster@sfd.uit.no        |
|University of Tromsoe, Postboks 953,|Phone:    +47 8344117                  |
|N-9000 TROMSOE, NORWAY.             |#include <disclaimer.std>              |

avolio@decuac.dec.com (Frederick M. Avolio) (09/21/89)

In article <2032@ifi.uio.no>, tage@sfd.uit.no (Tage Stabell-Kul) writes:

> 0) What info does /bin/mail read from kmem ?

I'm pretty sure it determines the load average and then fom that makes
some guesses.. I mean calculations as to how long to wait on a lock
file, etc.

> 1) /bin/mail is setuid-root.  Do the program do a setuid , if so, to
> whom ?


Well, it writes to the end of your mailbox.  It is root to insure that
it can do that.

Fred