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List:       mandrake-cooker
Subject:    Re: [Cooker] [Fwd: Need to be root to make mrproper?]
From:       "Murray J. Root" <murray.root () onebox ! com>
Date:       2002-02-28 23:56:10
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---- skidley <skidley@crrstv.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 28 Feb 2002, Han wrote:
> 
> > > Whats going to happen if i build a kernel as root that makes it
> so
> > > wrong, I don't see a problem security wise or elsewhere. Please
> explain
> > 
> > Use the good old imagination instead of asking questions that suggest
> > that the guy warning you is loosing his mind.
> > 
> > Your sig is way to long.
> > 
> > 
> > Groetjes, Han.
> > 
> I hate sudo, maybe mine isnt setup right or something but it asks me
> my 
> passwd to use it, which i guess makes it more secure or anybody could
> 
> just use it. I don't bother much with it. When I first compiled a kernel
> I went by the kernel-HOWTO which advised of using /usr/src/linux and
> being root. I no longer use /usr/src/linux to build kernels upon the
> advice of I believe Linus himself in a post on lkml. I wasn't suggesting
> anybody was loosing their mind I am wondering what would be the danger
> of compiling a kernel as root? I just glanced at the kernel-HOWTO and
> I
> guess it needs to be rewritten as first thing to do is su to root,
> cd to
> /usr/src
> 

First rule of using root - ask "Do I REALLY, ABSOLUTELY, won't work otherwise,
need to be root?". If the answer is no, don't be root. Just because you
don't know of a vulnerability or potential fatal flaw does not mean one
doesn't exist.
As for docs - there are man pages on using "gets()" in C, but no one
in their right mind would actually do so these days. Funny how many systems
have been broken because no one saw any reason to avoid it.

-- 
Murray J. Root
murray.root@onebox.com - email
(404) 978-1262 x2646 - voicemail/fax




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