[COLUG] How Does Linux Security Work?

[Rob Funk]

Brett Stauffer wrote:
> It's really not all that gory.  Gaining privileges of another user
> requires a setuid() system call.  The "guts" of the "su" command is
> here:
>
>           if (setuid (pw->pw_uid))
>             error (EXIT_FAIL, errno, _("cannot set user id"));

... Plus the setuid bit on the /bin/su file that gives the process the 
capability to make that system call.

-- 
==============================|   "A microscope locked in on one point
 Rob Funk <rfunk at funknet.net> |Never sees what kind of room that it's in"
 http://www.funknet.net/rfunk |    -- Chris Mars, "Stuck in Rewind"