From d769f46a735b28e0fc1a344b1bbe23506550d169 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Russ Allbery Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2008 11:55:58 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Tweak the wording of mailbox permissions further Fix a spelling error and try to provide more concrete guidance around local system administrator configuration. Thanks to Josip Rodin for the wording review. --- policy.sgml | 17 ++++++++++------- 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 7 deletions(-) diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml index e359b61..6969220 100644 --- a/policy.sgml +++ b/policy.sgml @@ -8062,24 +8062,27 @@ http://localhost/doc/package/filename

- Mailboxes are generally either owned by user and mode - 600 or owned by user:mail and mode 660 - unless the system administrator has chosen otherwise + Mailboxes are generally either mode 600 and owned by + user or mode 660 and owned by + user:mail There are two traditional permission schemes for mail spools: mode 600 with all mail delivery done by processes running as the destination user, or mode 660 and owned by group mail with mail delivery done by a process running as a system user in group mail. Historically, Debian required mode 660 mail spools to enable the latter model, but that model has become - increasingly uncommon and principal of least privilege + increasingly uncommon and the principle of least privilege indicates that mail systems that use the first model should use permissions of 600. If delivery to programs is permitted, it's easier to keep the mail system secure if the delivery agent runs as the destination user. Debian Policy therefore permits either scheme. - . A MUA may remove a mailbox (unless it has - nonstandard permissions) in which case the MTA or another MUA - must recreate it if needed. + . The local system administrator may choose a + different permission scheme; packages should not make + assumptions about the permission and ownership of mailboxes + unless required (such as when creating a new mailbox). A MUA + may remove a mailbox (unless it has nonstandard permissions) in + which case the MTA or another MUA must recreate it if needed.

-- 2.39.5