Discus advisory.

[hhp () NS SUSPEND NET (Elaich Of Hhp)]

          (hhp) Discus advisory. (hhp)
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        Discus (Free discussion for your Web Site!)
at http://www.chem.hope.edu/discus/ has a directory
and  file  permission  problem.  The code is really
messy  and  they  need to learn file and permission
operations  better.  The source determines the mode
of  the  directories  and files from other sources:
Line:   533   in  discus3_01/source/src-board-setup
which  is  a  totally bad idea being that no matter
what,  the  private  files  should not be +r... ie,
the  *.txt's  and so on.  I  contacted the software
programmers  and  hope  they recognize this problem
being  that  the files are so open and easy to find
with any public search engines.  I  noticed quite a
few  servers  are  using  this software and I would
guestimate  about  80%  or  more are  vulnerable to
getting  thier  userfile  cracked  and their server
rooted.
        So   my   suggestion  to  people using this
software  is  check your modes or either wait for a
new release of the software.  I did not want to get
into making a patch being that they need to totally
redo some of their methods.

elaich - 2:30:15am CST 4/24/1999
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elaich of the hhp.
Email: hhp () hhp hemp net / pigspigs () yahoo com
Voice: 1800-Rag-on-gH pin: The-hhp-crew
Web: http://hhp.hemp.net
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