Exploit:
OpenLinux 2.2: LISA install leaves root
access without password
I believe I've found a bug in the installation
process of OpenLinux 2.2 when using the LISA
boot disk. During the installation a temporary
passwd file is put on the new file system
containing the user "help" set uid=0 gid=0 and
no password. Once you are prompted to set the
root password and default user password a new
passwd and shadow file is created yet the help
user is left in the shadow file with, you
guessed it, no password... Here are the
offending entries:
/etc/passwd
help:x:0:0:install help user:/:/bin/bash
/etc/shadow
help::10709:0:365:7:7::
Anyone who installed OpenLinux 2.2 using the LISA
boot disk should check their password file now ;-)
Andrew McRory - amacc@linuxsys.com