Archive-name: computer-security/most-common-qs
Posting-frequency: monthly
Last-modified: October 2002
Last-seriously-modified: January 2001
URL: ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/faqs/computer-security/most-common-qs

This is a faq file for comp.security.misc and comp.security.unix.  It is
cross-posted to alt.security because I think it will also be useful there.

Please check whether your question is in this file before posting.
Also, unix-specific questions should be posted to comp.security.unix, not
comp.security.misc; so if they're in here, there are now TWO reasons not to
post them to comp.security.misc.

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Section Contents

• News Headers
• Table of contents
• This faq
• Can anyone here tell me how to exploit the [whatever] bug? or Can anyone here tell me how to break in to my ISP?
• What do the "identd" lines in my syslog mean? Is this a security exposure? Can I turn off identd?
• I just noticed that [something]. Has my machine been compromised?
• What does port number [whatever] mean?
• Here's new, unbreakable encryption software.
• What should I read to learn how to secure my computers? What should I read to learn about computer security?
• Is there a newer version of cops?
• Tripwire fails the self-test, dumps core when building the database, and dumps core when verifying.
• Cops won't "make" in some versions of linux (GNU).
• Various problems with building anything under Solaris, especially "/usr/ucb/cc: language optional software package not installed".
• What's that weird URL with SATAN/SAINT? I'm not running a web server! or SATAN says "Can't find my own hostname".
• SATAN doesn't display right in my web browser; it asks me to save the file.
• How do I find all setuid and setgid files?
• Tcp wrappers (tcpd) thinks all hosts are 0.0.0.0 in Solaris 8 or in some versions of AIX.
• I can't get .rhosts/.shosts to work with ssh.
• Should I block all ICMP at my firewall/router?
• How do I prevent my machine from announcing OS version, daemon version, etc in the banner message?
• How do I recover from forgetting my root password? (Similarly: I messed up the root line in /etc/passwd and can't su or login as
• Is a portscan of a machine malicious/illegal/unfriendly?
• Can my ISP/employer monitor [various things I'm doing]?
• Why do some people get so upset when system penetration is called "hacking"?

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