Re: root password

["Jim C. Brown" <jma5@umd.edu>]

On Wed, Mar 30, 2005 at 04:57:32PM -0800, terry white wrote:
>    finally , it more or less assures it not a 'social engineering'
> tactic.
> 
>    this pretty much a 'knee-jerk' reaction to such requests from 'email
> only' domains ...
> 

Good advice, but for this example I don't think it is very applicable. A
determined cracker could simply use google to find that information, there is
no need to go to a mailing list to get this information. I take that back ... a
not-so-determined cracker would probably use google as well.

It is probably better to assume that the person asking really doesn't know
enough and needs help, as opposed to questioning said person's motives.

On the other hand your first reason (helps them to remember their root passwords
if they have to reinstall each time) is a very good one. ;)

-- 
Infinite complexity begets infinite beauty.
Infinite precision begets infinite perfection.