An op/ed rant about "security"

Cameron MacKinnon (mackin@interlog.com)
Tue, 17 Dec 1996 09:07:36 -0500


I'm root on several UNIX boxes. I'm a user on others, and a guest on
still more. I have uses for hard links and set[ug]id executables. I'll
probably have a use for the next thing someone wants to disable.
Consider that every 'security risk' that's been broached is being used
by ordinary users to do useful work every day, far more so than by the
evil crackers. Consider the reasons you learned to love UNIX in the
first place. Consider not referring to users as "lusers".

This list appears to be segmenting itself into two factions; those who
would fix others' code, and those who would break it. If you're in the
second group, consider moving your discussions to linux-security, or
other more appropriate forums.

By way of example:

A recent poster began with:
> I don't see any good reasons why ordinary users should be allowed
[snip]
to use the machine at all???

Ordinary users are, in general, the people you're being paid to serve
and protect. They are the reason the equipment was purchased in the
first place. The vast majority of issues brought up recently in the name
of system security are actually personnel issues. I've got more to say,
but I'll spare you all.