On Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 4:16 PM, bofh <goodb0fh@gmail.com> wrote:
quoted text
> Ok, when I first learnt how to use unix nearly 20 years ago, one of
> the things I learnt was that a privileged user can break shit, but
> should not cause kernels to hang or crash.  That would be considered a
> bug.  Only DOS and windows 3.1 do that :)

Hahahaha

cp /etc/termcap /dev/mem

That has crashed *every* version UNIX I have worked with, substituting
an alternative large file on those pure sysv systems without
/etc/termcap, of course.

But let's say we figure out a way to do what you suggest and have the
kernel robust and protected against all actions of a privileged user.
What does that get us?  They can still fuck up ld.so or libc, and
poof, most the programs on the system will crash when started!
Overwrite /etc/passwd with /dev/random and rename /bin and your system
will stop being useful.

WHAT PROBLEM ARE YOU TRYING TO SOLVE?


Philip Guenther