GNU bug report logs - #52206
Bug: rm -rf /*/*

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From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu>
Cc: tracker <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#52206: closed (Bug: rm -rf /*/*)
Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:11:01 +0000

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Your message dated Wed, 1 Dec 2021 10:10:51 -0800
with message-id <8dfcb62b-b5c8-4f2a-d44d-8c4f52ca3303 <at> cs.ucla.edu>
and subject line Re: bug#52206: Bug: rm -rf /*/*
has caused the debbugs.gnu.org bug report #52206,
regarding Bug: rm -rf /*/*
to be marked as done.

(If you believe you have received this mail in error, please contact
help-debbugs <at> gnu.org.)


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From: Robert Swinford <robert.swinford <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: Bug: rm -rf /*/*
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2021 13:58:32 -0600

TWIMC:

This seems like a bug: https://twitter.com/nixcraft/status/1465599844299411458

I was able to replicate the behavior in a container with coreutils version 8.30.

Interestingly, however, rm -rf // only does the following:

"root <at> test:~# rm -rf //
rm: it is dangerous to operate recursively on '//' (same as '/')
rm: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe"

I believe illumos has already solved this problem in a POSIX compliant fashion, see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6XQUciI-Sc&t=4903s

Appreciate your attention to this bug!

--
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ROBERT SWINFORD
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robert.swinford <at> gmail.com
m: (405) 209-2339
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From: Paul Eggert <eggert <at> cs.ucla.edu>
To: Bob Proulx <bob <at> proulx.com>
Cc: Robert Swinford <robert.swinford <at> gmail.com>, 52206-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52206: Bug: rm -rf /*/*
Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2021 10:10:51 -0800

Thanks for explaining. As this is not an rm bug, I'm closing the bug report.

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