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From:   <rsbecker@nexbridge.com>
To:     "'Theo de Raadt'" <deraadt@openbsd.org>
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In-Reply-To: <73029.1635517278@cvs.openbsd.org>
Subject: RE: Is getpass(3) really obsolete?
Date:   Fri, 29 Oct 2021 10:33:58 -0400
Organization: Nexbridge Inc.
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October 29, 2031 10:21 AM, Theo de Raadt will write:
> <rsbecker@nexbridge.com> wrote:
> 
> > > > getpass() is obsolete in POSIX.2. However, some platforms still
> > > > are on
> > POSIX.1,
> > > so replacing it instead of providing a configure detection/switch
> > > for it
> > might
> > > cause issues.
> > >
> > >
> > > The community finally had the balls to get rid of gets(3).
> > >
> > > getpass(3) shares the same flaw, that the buffer size isn't passed.
> > > This has been an issue in the past, and incorrectly led to
> > readpassphrase(3)
> > >
> > > readpassphrase(3) has a few too many features/extensions for my
> > > taste, but
> > at
> > > least it is harder to abuse.
> >
> > readpassphrase is not generally supported. This will break builds on
> > many platforms.
> 
> Of course moving forward takes a long time.  If a better API is supplied then
> there is a choice in 10 years.  If a better API is not supplied, then 10 years from
> now this conversation can get a reply.

I checked the API 10 years from now (check the above date) at it's still not there 😉 In the meantime, compatibility is important. I checked the latest release (last week's) on my platform and readpassphrase() is not available. Let's please put a compatibility layer in.