[ale] Linux Distributions

Michael B. Trausch fd0man at gmail.com
Tue May 17 22:10:08 EDT 2005


Jim Popovitch wrote:
> 
> :-)
> 
> Hey, don't forget that EVERY unix box has /sbin/init running as root.  I
> fail to see how running vi, rsync, wget, etc. as root when /sbin/init is
> sitting there running as root the whole time.  If someone can overwrite
> ps or ls they can surely overwrite init.  ;-)  
> 

The point is that if you're running as root, you're effectively making
it that much easier to replace binaries.  That's the point.  That's the
security-smart reasoning behind it.  You're then bypassing any sort of
protection that is there to help you as an SA keep it intact and reduce
your workload later.  init, runs getty, and it's own scripts, protect
them, and you're more secure then just running as root.

	- Mike

-- 
Michael B. Trausch                               <fd0man at gmail.com>
Website: http://fd0man.chadeux.net/     Jabber: mtrausch at jabber.com
Phone: +1-(678)-522-7934              FAX (US Only): 1-866-806-4647
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