Root doesn't need to change the file permissions. As root, you can just delete everything regardless of permissions. On a *nix system, root is omnipotent.jglen490 wrote:That's true. However, the simple act of you acting in a root account opens up your entire system to an attack. Once in, changing the mode on any file from read only is a relatively trivial exercise.
Still, as I pointed out, it is also trivial for a non-root user to gain root power with sudo. If Puppy ever goes multi-user, I hope that Barry will exclude that command.
However, I think what Kirk and others have referred to is that the CD is read-only and not even root can delete its contents. Many people run from the CD in some way (multi-session, save file on the HD or flash drive), so they have no worries about their system files.
Even if you are running with a HD install, you don't have to worry about it unless you did a full HD install. On a frugal install, if the baddies delete your system files its not a big deal. You just have to restore 4 files and maybe GRUB. This takes a few minutes. Then restore the backup of your save file (you are making backups, right?). You may have lost some data, but you probably didn't lose too much if you make frequent backups.
A full HD install is a bit trickier. Backups are more difficult, and the file system is spread across hundreds of files. you've lost all of the ease in system restoration and not gained any security.
Exactly. Regardless of whether you run as root or as jimmybob16, the most important protection is a strong password.jglen490 wrote:It has everything to do with strong passwords
Kirk posted while I was writing this. Kirk, you are correct that the files inside of the squashfile cannot be individually tampered with, but you can delete the whole squashfile if you are not running from CD.