Thursday, 7 February 2002
AuthSample:
Apple's preferred method of launching tools with superuser permissions
on Mac OS X. It raises some good points, but also demonstrates
extremely user-hostile behavior by installing a setuid root tool
inside the application package, meaning that copying the application
would give you a choice between not working or breaking the
functionality. In a comment in the code they suggest that you prompt
the user for reinstallation at this point. Hello?! I don't want to
have to reinstall software because I decide to copy it around on my
hard drive.!
There are better ways. For example, the setuid root tool could be set
up in a temporary directory. Or the application could include a
non-setuid copy somewhere else, and reinstall it within its app
package if it is missing.
Security is important, but so is usability. One should not
necessarily come at the expense of the other.
6:45 PM
