conklin@frith.uucp (Terry Conklin) (11/14/90)
---- I have not come to praise ESIX (that was the last message) but this time, to indicate that there have been problems, and also to update ESIX owners about a potential security hole. Let's get the security hole out of the way first. ESIX Revision D 'fails' the security test given in the June issue of Unix/World of checking for strings in /usr/lib/sendmail's binary. Apparently, ESIX not only still has the 'debug' id still in their sendmail, but they also have a questionable string right after, 'wiz.' It was mentioned in the Unix/world article that there was a 'wizard' id and that it have been taken out of practically everything. Except, perhaps, ESIX rev D. Since ESIX is shipped with TCP/IP and is a natural canidate for networked environments, this bug needs to be fixed A.S.A.P. I patched my copy with other data in those fields. Someone let me know if that's not a workable fix. ------- While ESIX is clearly the best Unix shipping right now, I have been extremely unhappy with their attitude on bugs. I have on several occasions been told 'no dice' on V.4 upgrades (though this has apparently changed.) However, what is more disturbing is that I have been consistently been told, via email, ESIX, distributors, and the facts, that bugs in the ESIX release are there for life. "If it's broken, tough." It has been well over a month now since I reported a number of errors (5 or so I think,) some of which make the system unusable. I sent email several times (over weeks) then called (not free) them to see if they were getting any email. Some of it had arrived. I never received a reply. I found the text of the bug report and sent it again, called again to verify it arrived. I have yet to ever get a call back from tech support, nor any email, or even normal mail. Let me reiterate - these are serious bugs. Enough that ESIX is effectively useless to me as anything but a hobby system. The environment is improperly setup by the kernel/login. I wrote my own shell and find that the environment variables are often destroyed coming into it. There is also a terrible bug in which the system forgets the name of the user. I believe LOGNAME is overwritten. As passwords expire, the system requires a new password, then says "Can't change password for LOGIN." Even after people login, occasionally applications and games will show scores by 'LOGIN' or 'uadmin' or other things. My guess is the environment space/stack is being corrupted. I rate this error as SERIOUS. At this point, even if it is fixed, my collective feeling from dealing with a number of ESIX people and business partners is even if the bug were fixed, all Rev D owners are S.O.L. Rev C? Worked fine (if slower) but they required the 1st disk of Rev. C to get the Rev. D upgrade! Currently, Rev. D is BROKEN. It does not function as advertised. There is apparently no upgrade or repair policy. I have made many, many attempts to contact ESIX, indeed, _did_ contact ESIX, through a variety of channels. This is unacceptable. I would have to say that Interactive has been more helpful than ESIX at this point. I would have thought Atlantis risen before that would be true. Interactive openly says 'no support without a support contract!' Terry Conklin uunet!frith!conklin conklin@egr.msu.edu The Club (517) 372-3131 (3/12/24 MNP5)
karl@ficc.ferranti.com (Karl Lehenbauer) (11/15/90)
In article <1990Nov14.044234.7615@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu> conklin@frith.uucp (Terry Conklin) writes: >While ESIX is clearly the best Unix shipping right now... >Let me reiterate - these are serious bugs. Enough that ESIX is >effectively useless to me as anything but a hobby system. >There is apparently no upgrade or repair policy. What makes you so sure it's the best Unix shipping right now? It doesn't sounds like it to me... -- -- uunet!sugar!ficc!karl (wk), "Any excuse will serve a tyrant." -- Aesop uunet!sugar!karl (hm)
james@bigtex.cactus.org (James Van Artsdalen) (11/17/90)
In <1990Nov14.044234.7615@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>, conklin@frith.uucp (Terry Conklin) wrote: > Let's get the security hole out of the way first. ESIX Revision D > 'fails' the security test given in the June issue of Unix/World of > checking for strings in /usr/lib/sendmail's binary. Apparently, ESIX not > only still has the 'debug' id still in their sendmail, but they > also have a questionable string right after, 'wiz.' Sigh. Did you actually manage to break sendmail? Please *test* a hypothesis before accusing someone of something. There's nothing wrong with the debug command. The so-called "debug" hole was actually in recipient.c. The beginner's fix is to remove "debug" - the correct fix is the remove the bug itself! Just removing the "debug" command probably leaves open clever attacks based on the "-bs -d1-99.99" options, or based on the smtp queue. Neither method uses the "debug" command, but both attack the bug. As far as the "wiz" string, that's in the binary if wizard mode is on or off. You get an error message if wizard mode is disabled in the source: /usr3/src/sendmail/src> ./sendmail -bs 220 bigtex.cactus.org Sendmail 5.59/smail2.5/04-14-88 ready at Fri, 16 Nov 90 11:33:55 CST wiz 500 You wascal wabbit! Wandering wizards won't win! quit 221 bigtex.cactus.org closing connection /usr3/src/sendmail/src> -- James R. Van Artsdalen james@bigtex.cactus.org "Live Free or Die" Dell Computer Co 9505 Arboretum Blvd Austin TX 78759 512-338-8789
johncore@compnect.UUCP (John Core ) (11/17/90)
In article <1990Nov14.044234.7615@msuinfo.cl.msu.edu>, conklin@frith.uucp (Terry Conklin) writes: > ---- > > While ESIX is clearly the best Unix shipping right now, I have been > extremely unhappy with their attitude on bugs. > > It has been well over a month now since I reported a number of errors (5 > or so I think,) some of which make the system unusable. > I have yet to ever get a call back > from tech support, nor any email, or even normal mail. > > Let me reiterate - these are serious bugs. Enough that ESIX is > effectively useless to me as anything but a hobby system. > I rate this error as SERIOUS. > > At this point, even if it is fixed, my collective feeling from dealing > with a number of ESIX people and business partners is even if the bug > were fixed, all Rev D owners are S.O.L. > > Currently, Rev. D is BROKEN. It does not function as advertised. > There is apparently no upgrade or repair policy. AFTER ALL THIS HE STILL CLAIMS : > ESIX is clearly the best Unix shipping right now hey Terry, wanna buy the brooklin bridge Cheap! Wizard Systems | UUCP: uunet!wa3wbu!compnect!johncore P.O. Box 6269 |INTERNET: johncore@compnect.wa3wbu Harrisburg, Pa. 17112-6269 |a public bbs since 1978. Data(717)657-4992 & 4997 John Core, SYSOP |------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------| No matter where you go, there you are! a woman is just a woman, but a good cigar is a smoke. -R. Kipling