SVR3 passwd changes mode of passwd file
Michael Morrell
morrell at hpsal2.HP.COM
Fri Sep 23 04:48:51 AEST 1988
/ hpsal2:comp.bugs.sys5 / meo at stiatl.UUCP (Miles O'Neal) / 7:17 am Sep 21, 1988 /
In article <3394 at dunkshot.mips.COM>, dce at mips.COM (David Elliott) writes:
>
> It turns out that the System V (or at least SVR3) version of the
> passwd command will cause the resultant passwd file to be mode
> 0444. I have had a couple of complaints about this, and would like
> to decide on a solution.
I suggest you tell the complainers to always leave the passwd file
0444. NOBODY besides root should have access to that, and root
can always w! from vi to force a write. User-friendly interfaces
can set their uid to root, as long as they are smart enough not
to become dangerous, or TOO friendly to non-root users...
----------
I think you're missing the point. The passwd program should change a user's
password and THAT'S ALL. It has absolutely no business changing anything
else (especially if it's not documented!). UN*X in general follows the KISS
(keep it simple, stupid) philosophy and lets the user do all kinds of stupid
things (or things that appear stupid to other people). This is definitely
a bug in passwd(1).
By the way, passwd seems to not change the mode on HP-UX (based on SVR2), but
it does change the owner and group to "root" and "other".
Michael
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