lockf and the SVID, (Was "Re: Wanted: lockf system call source")

[David Brand]

In article <2264 at sdcsvax.UCSD.EDU> hutch at sdcsvax.UUCP (Jim Hutchison) writes:

>Not that H-P is at fault for following the mighty SVID, but why require
>that the file-descriptor is open for write to do a write lock?  Wouldn't

Requiring that a file be open in write mode is a sure fire way of requiring
that the user have write premission.  An implementation should require that
a process have write permission on the file before allowing MANDATORY write
mode locks to prevent unauthorized denial of resources (eg. locking
/etc/passwd).  This restriction is then carried over into ADVISORY locks for
consistency.

This is often cited as the reason to leave out mandatory locks entirely.
-- 

					- Dave

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