root@adamant /root]# ls -al `which rxvt` `which xterm` -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 76300 Oct 1 20:36 /usr/bin/X11/rxvt -rws--x--x 1 root root 147028 Oct 10 00:58 /usr/bin/X11/xterm xterm, which works properly is suid. I am unsure whether rxvt is safe to be changed to suid
we do not ship rxvt
we do not ship rxvt suid because numerous security holes have been found in it in the past. If you choose to make it SUID yourself, you are on your own as far as any security situations that the change may create.