GNU bug report logs - #8117
ln to /tmp is irreversible

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From: help-debbugs <at> gnu.org (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Bob Proulx <bob <at> proulx.com>
Cc: tracker <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#8117: closed (ln to /tmp is irreversible)
Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2011 03:59:01 +0000

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Your message dated Sat, 9 Apr 2011 21:58:48 -0600
with message-id <20110410035848.GA11205 <at> hysteria.proulx.com>
and subject line Re: bug#8117: ln to /tmp is irreversible
has caused the GNU bug report #8117,
regarding ln to /tmp is irreversible
to be marked as done.

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


-- 
8117: http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=8117
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From: Křištof Želechovski <giecrilj <at> stegny.2a.pl>
To: bug-coreutils <at> gnu.org
Subject: ln to /tmp is irreversible
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:54:33 +0100

== To reproduce: ==

  1. Find a file in /tmp owned by somebody else and not owned by you.  Say a.txt.
  2. { ln a.txt b1.txt; } # you created b.txt based on a.txt
  3. {  rm b1.txt; } # error: Operation not permitted.
  4. Go to step 2, replacing b1 by b2, and so on.
(  5. ??? )
(  6. Profit. )

== The conclusion ==
Allowing irreversible operations is a bad thing, and this is not a circumstance where an exception would be appropriate.  The tool ln should not allow the operator to create an entry he cannot delete.

== Workaround ==
Never put anything into /tmp.  Use /tmp/kde-$LOGNAME (or whatever your directory is) instead.

IMHO,
Chris

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From: Bob Proulx <bob <at> proulx.com>
To: Křištof Želechovski <giecrilj <at> stegny.2a.pl>
Cc: 8117-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#8117: ln to /tmp is irreversible
Date: Sat, 9 Apr 2011 21:58:48 -0600

Bob Proulx wrote:
> Křištof Želechovski wrote:
> >   1. Find a file in /tmp owned by somebody else and not owned by you.  Say a.txt.
> >   2. { ln a.txt b1.txt; } # you created b.txt based on a.txt
> >   3. {  rm b1.txt; } # error: Operation not permitted.
> 
> Yes this is true.  But this doesn't have anything to do with either
> 'ln' or 'rm' but is instead a behavior associated with Unix
> filesystems and specifically the behavior of the sticky-bit on
> directories.  It is an operating system policy.  Therefore I am
> tagging this as not a bug in the bug tracking system.

There wasn't any further discussion, it is an operating system
filesystem behavior, and so I am closing this bug in the bug tracking
system for coreutils.

Bob

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