Issues with /tmp/mc-$USER directory

BARTHAZI Andras andras at barthazi.hu
Thu Dec 26 06:43:24 UTC 2002


Hi!

I am not really a security expert, so just my opinion. :)

> 1) Check that /tmp/mc-$USER is ours.  I think if I do stat() 
> and it says that I'm the owner, no adversary will be able to 
> replace the directory. If /tmp/mc-$USER is ours, set proper 
> permissions (700) on it if necessary and use it.  Note that 
> the files inside that directory still have random names.
> 
> 2) If that fails, warn the user and create a directory under 
> /tmp with a random name e.g. /tmp/mc-$USER-$RANDOM.  If that 
> works, schedule the directory for removal using g_atexit 
> (portable atexit from glib) and use the directory.

Why don't you skip the first step, and just do the second? :) Easier to
implement just one version, less code -> less bugs and "more safe" (?).

Just another question: what happens, if there's no /tmp directory (I
don't know OS like this)? I mean if the distribution uses for example
the name /temp. I don't know it mc has to care about it.

Bye,
  Andras





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