*BSD News Article 75560


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From: patrick@value.net ()
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc
Subject: Re: BSDI security
Date: 6 Aug 1996 15:28:16 GMT
Organization: Value Net Internetwork Services Inc.
Lines: 28
Message-ID: <4u7oag$8vj@vnetnews.value.net>
References: <Pine.BSI.3.94.960805093815.17110A-100000@picard.chickasaw.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: value.net
X-Newsreader: TIN [UNIX 1.3 950824BETA PL0]

Shawn McMahon (smcmahon@chickasaw.com) wrote:
: Does anyone know of a way that a person could su himself to root on a
: BSDI system, without having his name in the "wheel" group?

Do you have sudo installed? That would allow a person to do it easily if 
a previous break-in had occured.

There are a hundred other ways if they have previously penetrated your 
system. Set-uid programs, trojans, the list goes on and on. 

: Whether with or without knowledge of the root password, is there a way?

Yes.
 
: And, is there a defense?

Yes, however you need to determine the method of penetration and programs 
added/altered/affected. If you cannot do that, then you are looking at 
reinstalling. Do you have backups to compare against?(although if this 
problem has existed for a while they may not be helpful.)


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	Systems Administrator		           (510) 210-2000 modem
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