RE: CGI security on a shared web server

From: Jeff Dafoe (jeffdat_private)
Date: Wed May 29 2002 - 08:59:44 PDT

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    >	I don't understand what risks there are to the server and
    > 	machine as a whole, such that the server owner should be
    > 	reluctant to enable this feature.  Could someone please tell
    > 	me what are the risks and how are these risks controlled in
    > 	typical "good" use of suEXEC?
    
    	I work as an admin at a hosting provider and I cannot imagine allowing CGIs
    to run in a mass hosting environment under apache without the use of suexec.
    Running end users' CGIs as the same user as the web server is asking for
    problems, IMHO.  Suexec, when improperly configured, can create a security
    risk (as outlined in its installation documentation), but it is relatively
    simple to configure it properly.
    	So, when improperly configured, suexec can pose a problem.  When properly
    configured, it mitigates a variety of issues posed by running CGIs as the
    same user as the web server.
    
    
    Jeff
    



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