[vox-tech] xhost+: Why you should NEVER DO THAT

[Bill Kendrick]

On Fri, Mar 18, 2005 at 02:18:27AM -0800, Karsten M. Self wrote:
<snip>
> xhost access control
> --------------------
<snip>
>     - Any user on a named host is allowed access (Secure RPC allows
>       user at host specification, this is not in widespread use).

This was troublesome when I was in college.  We'd use the cruddy old
Mac II systems as X servers (displays) and run applications on the Solaris
box hiding in the sysadmin's office.

Since we'd all be doing "xhost +zippy" (the Solaris box in question),
the pranksters would often decide to do little "while (1)" bash scripts
that fired "xclock" up on another user's display.

Since these were Macs... and slow ones at that... it often require a reboot
just to get the system usable again.  Stupid Macs.

:^)

-bill!