On Tue, 13 Feb 2007, Michael Wojcik wrote:

> > From: Thierry Zoller [mailto:Thierry (at) Zoller (dot) lu [email concealed]]
> > Sent: Monday, 12 February, 2007 07:52
> >
> > GE> telnet -l "-froot" [hostname]
> >
> > Should we really consider this a BUG ? With all due respect, this
> > reads, smells and probably tastes like a backdoor
>
> It's a bug. I recall it being found and fixed in AIX many years ago.
> Embarassing for Sun that it's still in Solaris, though.
>
> It's actually caused by a "feature" of login; the bug is in programs
> that exec login and pass "-froot" to it, and in preserving this feature
> of login at all.
>
> A quick Google search found Usenet postings about it from 1994; I'm sure
> it was known well before then.

Hi Michael. Thank you for making that issue public (about login). Haven't
seen it posted anywhere.

One note: although it could just as well be a bug, who says it was not a
backdoor in the early 90's?

Also, I understand this does not work on older Solaris/SunOS systems
(anyone can verify?) which adds to my personal interest in the
possibility. I refuse to believe someone is that funny/sad.

Gadi.

>
> --
> Michael Wojcik
> Principal Software Systems Developer, Micro Focus
>

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