Re: PATCH: cdrecord: avoiding scsi device numbering for ide devices

Pascal Schmidt
2004-08-21T15:01:15Z

On Sat, 21 Aug 2004 14:50:08 +0200, you wrote in linux.kernel:

> If the owners and permissions of the filesystem have been set up correctly,
> then there is no security problem.

The previous Linux implementation allowed users with *read* access
to the device to send arbitrary SG_IO commands. Giving read permission
to normal users is quite common, to allow them to run isosize or play
their freshly burned SVCDs with mplayer.

It violated the principle of least surprise that a user can screw
the device without even having write permission.

Yes, it breaks user-space programs, and yes, the kernel is to blame
for its previous behavior, not user-space. However, now we need to
get on, and going back to the previous behavior, which because
the discussion is now a well-known security hole, is not an option.

--
Ciao,
Pascal