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Conference smurf::dec_mls_plus

Title:dec_mls_plus
Moderator:SMURF::BAT
Created:Mon Nov 29 1993
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:534
Total number of notes:2544

503.0. "Questions from France re MLS+ Server" by NQOS01::zkodhcp-29-112-17.zko.dec.com::becker () Mon May 12 1997 14:26

I am posting this note for Guy Maraval@aeo.mts.dec.com.  Guy is in Annecy, 
France and is demoing the MLS+ Server and Ops/Intel workstation to defense and 
government audiences there.  Sam Sarasin built the server demo.  Trusted 
Computer Solutions built the Ops/Intel demo.

   By the way, before doing anything on the two MLS+ disks we have here,
 I noted the following problems :

 1 ) Password for root and DEMO account for DKA200 (MLS+ Server) had 
expired...
   before any demo could take place !...
                 So,  I was obliged to by-pass some difficult controls
    about the expiration date to relaunch all the stuff on DKA200.
     Hopefully, there was no Console Password mounted, if not we would have
   to return the entire system to US...

     No similar problem on DKA100 (Ops/Intel Workstation).

 2 ) I observed a curious problem (seem to be a bug or a lock of license for
    the encrypting algorithm) for password picking from any Window, Xterm,.. 
     whatever the account is used. A soon as you try to change the password
    (even logged as root or isso privilege), the system prompts you for the
    old password, check it, and then (if good) asks for the following options 
:
     = pick your new password ?
     = generates randomly unpronounceable password ?
     = generates pronounceable password ?
      and so on...

              Then, whatever will be the choice, system crash as soon as you
    enter the password, then OK the Window... except if you QUIT that menu
    without any password change. We are obliged to reboot the system. The
    CPU stops at a special address and sometimes, we can see :

       inst fault = 4      status word = 8
       pc = 3ff800bbbf20 
 
    N.B: that particular bug/problems rises on the TWO SYSTEMS (TWO DISKS)
         and seem to be linked with the MLS release/license ? 

      Phil, have you any idea of the reasons that could rise that problem ?
     This is very difficult to maintain as is, because obliges us to have
     some accounts with "cryptic account names... without passwords !", or
     no to change passwords at all.

                                         Regards, Guy

    By the way, many thanks to list of documents you shipped for evaluation,
  this week I'll try to get into and will sent you my feelings.
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503.1passwd core dump: not an MLS+ bug but we got itSMURF::BATSegui la tua beatitudineMon May 12 1997 18:3796
>  1 ) Password for root and DEMO account for DKA200 (MLS+ Server) had 
> expired...

	You could always set the date to the last known time it was run?
	and then go from there (change expiration time, etc.)

>    Hopefully, there was no Console Password mounted, if not we would have
>    to return the entire system to US...

	Comment?  No sense of adventure?
	Field service would have been able to clear the console NVRAM 
	(or you might yourself if you have the processor user's manual).

> 2 ) I observed a curious problem (seem to be a bug or a lock of license for
>    the encrypting algorithm) for password picking from any Window, Xterm,.. 
>     whatever the account is used. A soon as you try to change the password
>
> system crash as soon as you enter the password

	This is a mismatch in OSF V2.1 and the firmware loaded on the
	hardware (see note 363.2).  [ Hmm, I might have to put a special 
	patch out for this, if V3.1A hangs around for much longer...]

	For demo's, we really should running V4.0A.  I think.
	Anyway...

>     This is very difficult to maintain as is, because obliges us to have
>     some accounts with "cryptic account names... without passwords !", or
>     no to change passwords at all.

	You will not be able to change passwords (i.e., run the change
	password utility) if you run a recent revision of the firmware.  

    	I don't know who gave you the system, but the problem can 
    	be fixed if you upgrade to MLS+ V4, or load an older
    	version of the firmware for this hardware.

    	If for any reason you can do neither, then you can get around
    	the problem by changing the account's ppde (protected password
    	database entry, see man 4 prpwd) manually.
    
	All you need is an account whose password you do know, and be 
    	good at line editing.*

	Step 1:

	Save a copy of the u_pwd field (i.e., the encrypted string) in 
    	the /tcb/files/auth file for an account whose password you do know.  
	Write it down or whatever.

	Step 2:

    	In that account ppde, or any other account to which you can login,
	change the u_pwd field to empty and the u_nullpw field to 
	nothing, e.g.,:

		:u_pwd=:\
		:u_nullpw:\

	(u_pwd is the null string, and the binary field u_nullpw
	does not have the @ in it, meaning null passwords are okay.)

	Step 3:

	Login as that user.  It does not now require a password (the
	password is nothing).

	Step 4:

    	Go back and re-examine the ppde (/tcb/files/auth/[az]/) file for that 
	account.  It will now have a new value in the u_suclog field, e.g, 
    	u_suclog=863458272.  Write down or save that value somewhere.  

	Step 5:

	In the pdde for the account to which you want to log in,
	change the values of the u_pwd field to the encrypted
	string you saved in step 1, and change the value of the
	u_suclog *and* u_succhg fields to the value you saved in
	Step 4.  You should now be able to login as the user.

	_________
	*Note that the format for the protected password database is
	very strict.  You cannot make typing mistakes, you are not
	forgiven.  Every line in the file except the first one
	must begin with a tab.  Every line in the file must end with
	a continuation character (\), except the last line.  The last
	field on the last line must be "chkent:".
	Fields must be separated by the colons, two if they are 
	also separated by the continuation character/newline. Fields
	are either binary types, in which case the field name is
	followed by an at sign (@) equals "ON" or nothing (just
	the : field separator), meaning "OFF"; or fields take string
	arguments, in which case the field name is always terminated
	with an equal sign.