RE: Reserved Ports and non-superuser Daemons

["Emilio Morla" <emilio.morla () grupositel com mx>]

The explanation is quite simple. The socket is binded by root at the start
of the daemon, and then switch to a non-privileged user. Thats the case with
apache, it starts as root and then witches to http or apache UID and GID.

Warm regards 


 
Ing. Emilio Morla
Phone: +52 (55) 51333385
E-mail: emilio.morla () grupositel com mx

Grupo Sitel de México
Redes y Seguridad
En la inmensidad del tiempo y en la latitud del cosmos, mi dicha fue haber
compartido una época y un planeta con ustedes.
Carl Sagan
 
 
 

-----Mensaje original-----
De: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] En
nombre de Arrav
Enviado el: Jueves, 06 de Diciembre de 2007 11:26 a.m.
Para: security-basics () securityfocus com
Asunto: Reserved Ports and non-superuser Daemons

Hello,

The book UNIX Socket Programming 3d edition volume one specifies that in
UNIX, ports between 0 - 1023 are reserved ports, and can only be used by a
program running with super user privs.
I know lots of servers are binding to ports beneath 1024, and they obviously
don't have root privileges since this would be stupid security wise. I also
don't believe they have the suid bit on, because of the same issue.

I wonder if someone could explain that to me.

Thanks,

        Guy.