- cypherpunks-legacy - lists.cpunks.org

Q: A question of security vulnerability
by Jim Choate 10 May '03

10 May '03

Given a basic Linux (or *nix) system with a user bob. Assume that bob has sudo capability. There are two approaches (I'm not going to use exact syntax): 1. bob sh 2. bob All So, in the first case bob can: sudo sh -c "foo" and in the second bob can: sudo foo Why would the first approach represent a more secure mechanism? It is true that sh could be a wrapper or have sticky bits, etc. We'll assume these are not an issue. The point being why is running a program directly as root in this manner less secure than running the program through a shell as root? Example? Explanation? Thanks. -- ____________________________________________________________________ We are all interested in the future for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. Criswell, "Plan 9 from Outer Space" ravage(a)ssz.com jchoate(a)open-forge.org www.ssz.com www.open-forge.org --------------------------------------------------------------------

3 4

Re: Asperger's Syndrome
by Major Variola (ret) 10 May '03

10 May '03

At 09:26 PM 5/8/03 -0500, Harmon Seaver wrote: >And as I said before, the mosquitoes really aren't that bad, just >quit swatting at them. I'll take bugs over smokers anytime. My serious point is 1. you don't need to hunt for mushrooms to live 2. you haven't had children die from mosquito bites 3. you/yours have access to western med if you get mosquito-vectored diseases Contrast with the state of much of the population.. They would roast all the gnatcatchers to live better and not blink an eye. Dodo burger, anyone? ------ RNA can mutate faster than scientists can sequence.

2 1

Iris scanning
by Harmon Seaver 09 May '03

09 May '03

An article on BBC mentions how little iris scanning has actually been tested, and that China, for instance, is refusing to use it because of possible dangers, or at least, perceived dangers. Which has me wondering, could there be actual dangers from iris scanning, say a malfunctioning laser damaging the eye? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3003571.stm -- Harmon Seaver CyberShamanix http://www.cybershamanix.com

4 4

Re: Sheeple Syndrome [was: Asperger's Syndrome]
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

At 04:24 PM 5/7/03 -0400, Trei, Peter wrote: >As long as as people are going to wall off >particular personality types, and label them as >"Something-or-other Syndrome", we ought to be >able to have fun with this too. Financial Stockholm Syndrome: Suffered by people who enjoy paying taxes.

2 1

Its Official: Stego to be demonized
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

Investigators believe cell members were using a process called stenography, in which special software allows a text message to be hidden inside a small part of a computer photograph. U.S. investigators say many terrorists received instruction on the technique when they trained at al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/57502.htm

2 1

Re: Underestimating long-term consequences of cryptoanarchy
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

At 12:04 AM 5/9/03 -0700, Bill Frantz wrote: >There have been some proposals to build privately owned toll roads in >California. Proposals? You can *drive* on them now. Some are privately-owned lanes parallel to public lanes (91 in SoCal), some are entirely privately-owned novel tollways (241, 243, parts of 74, 133). You can drive most without a tracking/transponder (ie use currency) though they can photograph your plates on any lane. Financially they're not doing wonderfully, but the roads are there! [resent.. lne having a problem with batching submissions?]

1 0

Re: Asperger's Syndrome
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

At 07:48 AM 5/7/03 -0700, Mike Rosing wrote: >> chemicals in the environment today that mimic various hormones which then cause >> imbalances in animals, or, for instance, aluminum suspected in alzhimers. Al has been discredited, Alz is inherited, or inevitable if your hydraulics keep you ticking that long (a recent development). >It's more like the "publish or perish" syndrome. Some field of profs >needs to create a new thing so they can keep getting funding for "research". Yep. >Dumbing down of Americans has been going on for a long time. But I'm >not sure that's real either. How long have the majority of people been >going past 8th grade education? "Education" has been increasing, but industrial life means that people can be stupider, because they are more shielded. See J. Diamond, http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/diamond/diamond_p1.html >We used to think DDT was great stuff. It is. Malaria kills 3e6 a year. But that's not 3e6 industrials who die, and its industrials who make it. The cigars that indians smoked kept bugs away, and with an aboriginal life span the problems with smoking were insignificant compared to the dangers of bugs. What is adaptive depends on your environment. That probably applies to mental traits like ability to sit still, tolerate presence of others, concentrate on abstract lines of thought etc. 21st century schizoid man.

8 10

Re: Asperger's Syndrome
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

At 07:04 PM 5/7/03 -0700, Mike Rosing wrote: >A world without mosquitoes would be pretty bleak given how many other >things eat them. Better to wipe out the malaria and swat the mosquitos! Still, you're in the minority. If one could kill all the blood-biting mosquitoes without killing other bugs, birds, 'gators, etc it would be a good thing. Even if you eliminated malaria its not a good vector to have around. And I bet most people would accept losing a very few species, or reducing the productivity of mosquito areas (probably temporarily), to get rid of the mosquito. Throw in poison ivy/oak extinction to convince most of the greens who hike and you've got a winner :-) --- "When one tugs at a single thing in Nature, he finds it hitched to the rest of the Universe" - John Muir --- You can buy patented mice and you're not allowed to copy them. -the state of bio IP

7 9

Re: Collectivism in "community gardens"
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

At 06:03 PM 5/8/03 -0700, Eric Cordian wrote: >Yet, very little is done about the problem, because that would be >discrimination against a whole slew of people we are told are >disadvantaged. I once counciled a fellow grad student who was growing hot peppers on a little plot for student farmers. Seems he had problems with 'raccoons' that stole his peppers. I pointed out that phenolphlalein, a common pH indicator, was the active ingredient in ex-lax, and very effective, invisible. I suggested depositing some in a few growing peppers. He also posted a sign to that effect. Amazing that racoons can read.

1 0

Fukt Nation Report
by Major Variola (ret) 09 May '03

09 May '03

Posse Comitatus dead, getting ready for military occupation of cities: http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030526&s=dreyfuss Schoolchildren owned by Secret Service: http://www.kron.com/Global/story.asp?s=%20%201268949 "When one of the students asked, 'do we have to talk now? Can we be silent? Can we get legal council?' they were told, 'we own you, you don't have any legal rights,'" Felson says. Tool makers liable for tool abuse: Gun Companies Ordered to Pay Boy $50M http://www.kron.com/Global/story.asp?S=1271022

1 0