@ub and @cb issues - an idea

[Steve Wiltsie]

Bill Vermillion wrote:
> On Wed, Apr 21, 2004 at 11:56:19AM -0400, Jay R. Ashworth thus
> spoke:
>
>> On Wed, Apr 21, 2004 at 10:56:13AM -0500, Steve Wiltsie wrote:
>>
>>> I think all this discussion and concern over the user ID's
>>> used by filePro on Unix and Unix-like OSes emphasizes a Wish
>>> List suggestion I made some time ago. I think there should
>>> be a Configuration File type of list that holds the filePro
>>> user names and numbers used for @CB and @UB. This would then
>>> allow those system variables to be used in Windows versions
>>> as well and would help to prevent the kind of problems being
>>> related in these recent e-mails. It could even be copied from
>>> one system to another as installations upgrade to new Unix or
>>> other systems.
>
>> Nope.
>
>> *My*, what a horrible idea that is, from a system administration
>> standpoint.  *Another* file I gotta maintain?  And modify all my
>> adduser machinery to deal with?  (Most of which I *can't*, cause it's
>> binaries?)
>
> Not to mention the fact that since it is an external file what is
> to keep someone from changing the file that carries the names.
>
> "No - I didn't create that record, Tommy did.  See the @CB"  after
> he change the file.  You'd have to play with the password file in
> Unix to achieve the same level of obfuscastion.
>
>
Bill,

Are you also concerned about someone modifying the text-based Configuration
File now?  If this was part of that, or handled similarly by filePro, what
would be the difference - from a security standpoint?

Steve