>>>>> "RF" == Rich Felker <dalias@libc.org> writes:

RF> Of course binding a reserved port like this is a serious security
RF> smell -- it sounds like they're trying to facilitate port-based
RF> authentication, which is unsafe if used for anything except localhost.

If it is for the lpd protocol, there are (or at least have been) systems
and printers which only accepted print jobs via lpd if they originated
on the lpd port.  Or maybe it was if they originated on a <1024 port.

I have a vague recollection of bug reports for cups in the early days
about that.  

-JimC
-- 
James Cloos <cloos@jhcloos.com>         OpenPGP: 0x997A9F17ED7DAEA6


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On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 03:43:25PM -0400, James Cloos wrote:
> >>>>> "RF" == Rich Felker <dalias@libc.org> writes:
> 
> RF> Of course binding a reserved port like this is a serious security
> RF> smell -- it sounds like they're trying to facilitate port-based
> RF> authentication, which is unsafe if used for anything except localhost.
> 
> If it is for the lpd protocol, there are (or at least have been) systems
> and printers which only accepted print jobs via lpd if they originated
> on the lpd port.  Or maybe it was if they originated on a <1024 port.
> 
> I have a vague recollection of bug reports for cups in the early days
> about that.  

Yes, this sounds plausible, but those print servers/printers are
highly insecure already and should really be fixed to use proper
authentication.

It's also something of an issue that cups lpd even has permissions to
bind reserved ports for outgoing connections, since this means it is
retaining root permissions past startup...

Rich


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