Insecure memory

[Subba Rao]

On  0, John Bacalle <john@unixen.org> wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 22, 2000 at 01:43:53PM +0000, Subba Rao wrote:
> -snip 'gpg -?' does not show --no-secmem-warning-
> > > You do not really have the 1.0.2 manpage, then.
> 
> > >        --no-secmem-warning
> > >                  Suppress the warning about "using insecure  mem-
> > >                  ory".
> 
> > I am talking about the command line options for the "gpg" command. The
> > man page may be uniform across different versions.
> > 
> > Here is the output of "gpg -?" (I have cropped out the initial few lines)
> -snip-
> > -------------------------------------
> > 
> > I do not see a --no-secmem-warning option.
> 
> Under a RHL gpg 1.0.1 install I see the same thing as you, Subba.
> 
> Note, the docs are works in progress as the gnupg.org sites clearly and
> repeatedly mentions. Follow either option and clear the insecure memory 
> issue.
> 
> I just took advantage of Peter's advice (thanks, Peter!) and cured that
> symptom on my system, which I'd been procrastinating on. One question
> though, from the man page:
> 
>   BUGS
>        On many  systems  this  program  should  be  installed  as
>        setuid(root).  This  is  necessary  to  lock memory pages.
>        Locking memory pages prevents the  operating  system  from
>        writing  memory  pages to disk. If you get no warning mes­
>        sage about insecure memory your operating system  supports
>        locking  without being root. The program drops root privi­
>        leges as soon as locked memory is allocated.
>  
> Does the last sentence mean, 'setting SUID root' security concerns are
> ameliorated as "... locked memory is allocated"?
> 
>    John
> 

Thank you very much for this solution! The setuid flag has fixed the "insecure
memory" problem.

-- 

Subba Rao
subb3@attglobal.net
http://pws.prserv.net/truemax/

 => Time is relative. Here is a new way to look at time. <=
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