Re: Executing a file remotely

From: Ben Finney (bignose-hates-spam_at_and-benfinney-does-too.id.au)
Date: 02/12/04 

Date: 12 Feb 2004 11:20:30 +1050

On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 00:29:42 -0000, Cameron Laird wrote:
> I believe soundwave56 is focused on Windows hosts. There, the correct
> initial answer to, "how would I execute a file remotely?" is, through
> a security breach.

No, the correct answer (on any operating system) is "through a
remote-execution facility". "Security breach" is dependent on the
security policy in place; remote execution can be a perfectly
permissible operation, or a serious breach of security, depending on
the specific circumstances and what the security policy allows.

> That's a serious answer. Operating systems are not *supposed* to
> allow "outsiders" to execute processes.

Utter rot. Operating systems are supposed to do what the person owning
the hardware tells them to do.

Whether "outsiders" are allowed to execute programs on the operating
system is entirely dependent on how you define "outsiders". Some
operating systems are designed to treat remote users and local users
identically; on such systems, "outsider" is not a function of "remote or
local", but rather "permitted or not permitted".

On other operating systems, multiple-user and networking is a bolt-on
afterthought, and an unnecessary line is drawn between local and remote
users. The availability of smooth, simple remote-execution facilities
on such operating systems will likely be poor. 

-- 
 \       "When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold to the masses |
  `\    over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and |
_o__)                 its speaker a raving lunatic."  -- Dresden James |
Ben Finney <http://bignose.squidly.org/>

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