SAFE_FINGER(8)                      Linux Programmer's Manual                      SAFE_FINGER(8)



NAME
       safe_finger - finger client wrapper that protects against nasty stuff from finger servers

SYNOPSIS
       safe_finger [finger_options]

DESCRIPTION
       The safe_finger command protects against nasty stuff from finger servers. Use this program
       for automatic reverse finger probes from the tcp_wrapper (tcpd) , not the raw finger  com‐
       mand. The safe_finger command makes sure that the finger client is not run with root priv‐
       ileges. It also runs the finger client with a defined PATH environment.  safe_finger  will
       also  protect  you from problems caused by the output of some finger servers. The problem:
       some programs may react to stuff in the first column. Other  programs  may  get  upset  by
       thrash  anywhere  on  a  line. File systems may fill up as the finger server keeps sending
       data. Text editors may bomb out on extremely long lines.  The finger server may take  for‐
       ever because it is somehow wedged.  safe_finger takes care of all this badness.

SEE ALSO
       hosts_access(5), hosts_options(5), tcpd(8)

AUTHOR
       Wietse Venema, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.




Linux                                     21th June 1997                           SAFE_FINGER(8)