NAME¶
safe_finger - finger client wrapper that protects against nasty stuff from
finger servers
SYNOPSIS¶
safe_finger [finger_options]
DESCRIPTION¶
The
safe_finger command protects against nasty stuff from finger servers.
Use this program for automatic reverse finger probes from the
tcp_wrapper (tcpd) , not the raw finger command. The
safe_finger command makes sure that the finger client is not run with
root privileges. It also runs the finger client with a defined PATH
environment.
safe_finger will also protect you from problems caused by
the output of some finger servers. The problem: some programs may react to
stuff in the first column. Other programs may get upset by thrash anywhere on
a line. File systems may fill up as the finger server keeps sending data. Text
editors may bomb out on extremely long lines. The finger server may take
forever because it is somehow wedged.
safe_finger takes care of all
this badness.
SEE ALSO¶
hosts_access(5),
hosts_options(5),
tcpd(8)
AUTHOR¶
Wietse Venema, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.