From owner-freebsd-hackers Sun Jul 11 1: 0:32 1999 Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from gratis.grondar.za (gratis.grondar.za [196.7.18.65]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D10F714E89; Sun, 11 Jul 1999 01:00:20 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from mark@grondar.za) Received: from grondar.za (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by gratis.grondar.za (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id JAA15467; Sun, 11 Jul 1999 09:58:52 +0200 (SAST) (envelope-from mark@grondar.za) Message-Id: <199907110758.JAA15467@gratis.grondar.za> To: chris@calldei.com Cc: Ben Rosengart , "Brian F. Feldman" , hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: a BSD identd Date: Sun, 11 Jul 1999 09:58:51 +0200 From: Mark Murray Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG > The whole point of ident was -- and still is -- to > authenticate or verify who created a specific TCP connection. If > the machine is untouched (i.e., has not had the root account > compromised), then ident responses are usually trustworthy > enough. It is generally not applicable to single user operating > systems like Windows, Mac OS, or DOS. ...in other words it is not applicable to the vast majority of operating systems where it is used. Where is ident used? Predominantly with IRC, with a minority holding in tcp_wrappers and mail servers. In a "hard" wrapping environment, by the time you need ident, it is most likely compromised. M -- Mark Murray Join the anti-SPAM movement: http://www.cauce.org To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message