Re: Command Line in OSX
Re: Command Line in OSX
- Subject: Re: Command Line in OSX
- From: email@hidden
- Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2001 22:43:00 EST
In a message dated 3/26/01 12:03:44 PM Mountain Standard Time, John Kawakami
<email@hidden> writes:
<< Subject: Re: Command Line in OSX
snip..
If anything, OS X is safer than <= OS 9. That's because there is a
clear distinction between users and root users. There's (finally)
some file security, so scripts that run with user level security are
not able to modify files (or access resources) reserved for root
users. >>
Philosophically I disagree with you about this. Compromising root is fairly
easy when you try to make a unix based system work as single user.
OS X can be made into a secure system but only with a great deal of work and
a lot of administrative effort. Balancing UFS and HFS partitions for example
to head off suborning root is one step.
The danger lies in the apparency of security when it is only secure to users
who know nothing about the operating system (say the average Mac user -
[ducking and weaving and running for cover]) but can be easily compromised.
It is, without doubt, a whole new world.
Michael