> I hope you don't mind my using this text into the Autoconf doc? Not at all. Flattered, in fact. I might like to improve the prose so that it flows into the documentation better. Let me know if there is any way I can help.
Bob > -------------------------------------------------- > > Thomas> "cp -p" has some unfortunate side-effects (some versions copy > > Thomas> the ownership of the original file in addition to the > > Thomas> protection) > > > > Do you have references for this? This is typical information that > > must be double checked and included in autoconf.texi once certified. > > The 'cp -p' command always -tries- to copy ownerships. But whether it > actually does copy ownerships or not is a system dependent policy > decision implemented by the kernel. If the kernel allows it then it > happens. If the kernel does not allow it then it does not happen. It > is not something the cp command itself has control over. > > In SysV any user can chown files to any other user, and also had a > non-sticky /tmp. That undoubtedly derives from the heritage of SysV > in a business environment without hostile users. BSD changed this to > be a more secure model where only root can chown files, and used a > sticky /tmp. That undoubtedly derives from the heritage of BSD in a > campus environment. > > Linux by default follows BSD, but it can be configured to allow chown. > HP-UX as an alternate example follows SysV, but it can be configured > to use the modern security model and disallow chown. That is how mine > are configured. Since it is an administrator configurable parameter > you can't use the name of the kernel as an indicator of the behavior. > > See the single unix specification for the standards information on > what cp -p should or should not do. > > http://www.unix-systems.org/single_unix_specification_v2/xcu/cp.html > > See the GNU fileutils faq here for more details and rational on this > particular topic. (Since I wrote it I recommend it.) > > >http://www.gnu.org/software/fileutils/doc/faq/core-utils-faq.html#Why%20can%20only%20root%20chown%20files%3f > > Stevens "Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment" section 4.10 & > 4.11 has good information. > > HTH > > Bob
