Bug 6338 - /usr/libexec/pt_chown is not installed suid root
Summary: /usr/libexec/pt_chown is not installed suid root
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED RAWHIDE
Alias: None
Product: Red Hat Linux
Classification: Retired
Component: glibc
Version: 6.1
Hardware: All
OS: Linux
medium
high
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Cristian Gafton
QA Contact:
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 1999-10-25 15:34 UTC by edc
Modified: 2008-05-01 15:37 UTC (History)
1 user (show)

Fixed In Version:
Doc Type: Bug Fix
Doc Text:
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2000-01-04 23:57:25 UTC

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Description edc 1999-10-25 15:34:36 UTC 
/usr/libexec/pt_chown is not installed suid root and is
therefore useless.  Since pt_chown is not used by systems
using Unix98 ptys this problem is probably not noticed by
most people.  Users trying to minimize kernel memory use (or
using the default kernelconfiguration) however, will be
unable to use ptys.
Comment 1 udaya 1999-11-18 20:01:59 UTC 
xterm on redhat linux 6.1 doesn't work because /usr/libexec/pt_chown is not
installed suid root. Therefore, it is important that this problem be fixed
as soon as possible.

udaya
Comment 2 Cristian Gafton 2000-01-04 23:57:59 UTC 
Please enable devpts and you won't need pt_chown at all.

Anyway, the setuid bit is turned on again in the rawhide rpm for glibc
Comment 3 wingc 2000-02-02 03:41:59 UTC 
Please don't enable the suid bit on pt_chown by default.

If people want to use glibc2.1 without devpts, then make a note in the
documentation.

Leaving a setuid root executable on every Red Hat system that will not be used
by 99.99% of people is a bad idea. Why risk the possibility of an exploit?
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