Bugtraq mailing list archives
Re: MAGIC PIDs (was Re: magic??)
From: shipley () merde dis org (Pete Shipley)
Date: Thu, 02 Feb 1995 03:28:23 -0800
the other day, i happened to join a conversation about Unix security with a couple of fellows at a local bookstore. one of them mentioned the "magic" hole. i have heard mention of this hole before, but i assumed the hole no longer existed. apparently, this was a hole in /bin/login.
This is probably associated with the MAGIC PID SUBSYSTEM which has been implemented on a number of popular UNIX's. Basically processes that acquire a MAGIC PID have special powers and can do 'magical' things. If a hole is found in a program (such as /bin/login) which is executing in a process with a MAGIC PID, it is said to have a 'magic hole'. LINUX is generally recognised as having the most complete MAGIC PID implementation. The benefits of MAGIC PIDs was discussed widely on IRC's #unix and #root about 12 months ago. For more info, I guess you could try the usenet LINUX or security groups.
gee like what magical things? please more detail.. -Pete
Current thread:
- magic?? robert owen thomas (Feb 01)
- MAGIC PIDs (was Re: magic??) Karl Strickland (Feb 01)
- Passwords Rich (Feb 02)
- Re: MAGIC PIDs (was Re: magic??) Pete Shipley (Feb 02)
- Re: MAGIC PIDs (was Re: magic??) Reto Lichtensteiger (Feb 02)
- SEX (fwd) Karl Strickland (Feb 02)
- Re: SEX (fwd) Liat Yeow (Feb 03)
- Re: SEX (fwd) John J. Kinyon (Feb 03)
- Re: SEX (fwd) Aleph One (Feb 03)
- MAGIC PIDs (was Re: magic??) Karl Strickland (Feb 01)