On Feb 3,  9:32pm, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:
> Subject: Re: /dev/log -> /var/run/log
> On Wed, Feb 03, 1999 at 10:34:42AM -0800, Curt Sampson wrote:
> > What ever happened to the proposal to move /dev/log to /var/run/log?
>
> I didn't get around to committing it.  I'll do it this weekend, probably.

Moving /dev/log to /var/run/log is a good thing.

> By the way, I *seriously* question the utility of using file flags to
> "secure" a system.  To get any serious guarantee, every program run
> from rc (or any script it runs) while securelevel is zero must be marked
> schg; also, rc, rc.conf, etc. must be marked schg.

The "serious guarantee" is what the file flags proposal is about. The flags I
suggested are choosen exactly this way. Btw, every program run from rc must be
marked schg, regardless of the securelevel (mrg has plans the raise the
securelevel very early in the boot process).

> A system set up that
> way is almost as irritating to run as a system with a read-only root fs.
>
> (Note that I in fact actually run systems which are each way, so I know
>  whereof I speak.)

There are really two questions here:
1) Do you doubt that file flags can be used to secure a system (at all), or
2) do you think that the administration of such a system would be a pain?

It is clear that the use of file flags is only one of many actions to be taken
to make a system secure. They can't prevent all kinds of attacks (there are
still denial of service attacks possible, as well as "lookee here" attempts).

My proposal is an attempt to make it as easy as possible (with one command) to
apply or remove this kind of security. Setting the file flags is optional;
admins can decide if they need this kind of security, or not. Admins using
NetBSD for firewalls should certainly consider the use of file flags.

-- Lex

-- 
Dr. Alexandre Wennmacher
Institut fuer Geophysik und Meteorologie         wennmach@geo.Uni-Koeln.DE
Universitaet zu Koeln                            phone  +49 221 470 - 3387
D-50923 Koeln                                    fax    +49 221 470 - 5198