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util-linux-ng: update to 2.19.1
[crossrootfs.git] / tcp_wrappers / safe_finger.8
1 .TH SAFE_FINGER 8 "21th June 1997" Linux "Linux Programmer's Manual"
2 .SH NAME
3 safe_finger \- finger client wrapper that protects against nasty stuff
4 from finger servers
5 .SH SYNOPSIS
6 .B safe_finger [finger_options]
7 .SH DESCRIPTION
8 The
9 .B safe_finger
10 command protects against nasty stuff from finger servers. Use this
11 program for automatic reverse finger probes from the
12 .B tcp_wrapper
13 .B (tcpd)
14 , not the raw finger command. The
15 .B safe_finger
16 command makes sure that the finger client is not run with root
17 privileges. It also runs the finger client with a defined PATH
18 environment.
19 .B safe_finger
20 will also protect you from problems caused by the output of some
21 finger servers. The problem: some programs may react to stuff in
22 the first column. Other programs may get upset by thrash anywhere
23 on a line. File systems may fill up as the finger server keeps
24 sending data. Text editors may bomb out on extremely long lines.
25 The finger server may take forever because it is somehow wedged.
26 .B safe_finger
27 takes care of all this badness.
28 .SH SEE ALSO
29 .BR hosts_access (5),
30 .BR hosts_options (5),
31 .BR tcpd (8)
32 .SH AUTHOR
33 Wietse Venema, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
34