misc/45360: /etc/passwd and the "daemon" account description.

[bch%methodlogic.net@localhost]

>Number:         45360
>Category:       misc
>Synopsis:       /etc/passwd and the "daemon" account description.
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       non-critical
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    misc-bug-people
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Mon Sep 12 16:15:00 +0000 2011
>Originator:     bch%methodlogic.net@localhost
>Release:        NetBSD 5.99.55
>Organization:
        Method Logic Digital (http://methodlogic.net/)
>Environment:
System: NetBSD kamloops 5.99.55 NetBSD 5.99.55 (kamloops) #2: Sun Sep 11 
17:47:21 PDT 2011 root@kamloops:/usr/obj/sys/arch/amd64/compile/kamloops amd64
Architecture: x86_64
Machine: amd64
>Description:
        The entry for "daemon" in /etc/passwd is inappropriate
        for multiple reasons. I appreciate the humour, but:

        1) Cute humour like this doesn't really have a long shelf-life

        2) It's unprofessional, and perhaps alarming to anybody
        not familiar w/ daemons, /etc/passwd, or NetBSD. It's easy
        to imagine somebody stumbling on this for the first time
        and being genuinely alarmed.

        3) I understand the origin of "daemon" (note: not demon)
        is the Greek daemon, which is characterized as a good,
        helpful entity, not associated with Satan, as the current
        entry in /etc/passwd seems to suggest. (ref:
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_%28classical_mythology%29)

>How-To-Repeat:
        Witness /etc/passwd
>Fix:
        martin# diff -bu ./src/etc/master.passwd.old ./src/etc/master.passwd
        --- ./src/etc/master.passwd.old 2011-09-12 08:53:58.000000000 -0700
        +++ ./src/etc/master.passwd     2011-09-12 08:54:49.000000000 -0700
        @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
        root::0:0::0:0:Charlie &:/root:/bin/csh
        toor:*:0:0::0:0:Bourne-again Superuser:/root:/bin/sh
        -daemon:*:1:1::0:0:The devil himself:/:/sbin/nologin
        +daemon:*:1:1::0:0:pseudo-user:/:/sbin/nologin
        operator:*:2:5::0:0:System &:/usr/guest/operator:/sbin/nologin
        bin:*:3:7::0:0:Binaries Commands and Source:/:/sbin/nologin
        games:*:7:13::0:0:& pseudo-user:/usr/games:/sbin/nologin