[comp.admin.policy] /etc/passwd and generalizations

cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Ofer Inbar) (06/22/91)

Two things I'd like to point out:

Any site on the Internet that runs fingerd is routinely giving away
login names to all who want them.  Login names are not difficult to
find, so the fact that /etc/passwd gives them away is no big deal (in
most cases).

There are legitimate uses for accounts with no passwords.  For
example, an account with a "login shell" of /bin/who.  Many of you
probably use these, and know about them, but are overlooking them when
you say things like "If I run grep :: /etc/passwd and get *anything*
back ..."

  --  Cos (Ofer Inbar)  --  cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu
  --  WBRS (BRiS)  --  WBRS@binah.cc.brandeis.edu  WBRS@brandeis.bitnet
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 The Boston Computer Society IBM PC User Group TBBS, (617) 332-5584

brendan@cs.widener.edu (Brendan Kehoe) (06/24/91)

cos@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu wrote:
>Any site on the Internet that runs fingerd is routinely giving away
>login names to all who want them.  Login names are not difficult to
>find, so the fact that /etc/passwd gives them away is no big deal (in
>most cases).

So does your email address above.
-- 
     Brendan Kehoe - Widener Sun Network Manager - brendan@cs.widener.edu
  Widener University in Chester, PA                A Bloody Sun-Dec War Zone