7 Apr
2017
7 Apr
'17
9:56 p.m.
On Fri, 7 Apr 2017, Dave Horsfall wrote:
The problem is that some of them are still alive :-)
Oh, OK; I'll leave out the names... This is the story of the Great Root
Password Disaster.
Way back at UNSW (University of New South Wales for the Aussie-bereft),
the major Unix players decided to use a common root password (yes,
really!) so that they could access each others' systems. I was working
for the CSU (Computing Services Unit for the UNSW-bereft) and I thought it
was a stupid idea, and refused to join.
Well, the obvious happened... The password must've been leaked (as
passwords do) because every box got hacked, except mine. Naturally, I got
blamed for it; here's a chrome-plated hint: never blame me for something
that I did not do... And I still don't know what their shared root
password was.
More stories as I dredge them up from my addled memory.
--
Dave Horsfall DTM (VK2KFU) "Those who don't understand security will
suffer."