pfix=ram does not make you invincible

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Pizzasgood
Posts: 6183
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 20:28
Location: Knoxville, TN, USA

pfix=ram does not make you invincible

#1 Post by Pizzasgood »

A common idea around Puppy is that you are invincible when running with pfix=ram. The OS is entirely in ram and the drives are all unmounted. Nothing persists.

I say to you: don't be complacent.

First of all, partitions don't need to be mounted to be modified. Programs that work on the drive at a very low level, such as dd, fdisk, parted, and mkfs.* don't care if it's unmounted (in fact they prefer it).

Second of all, those unmounted partitions could simply be mounted.

In a normal Linux, you would be somewhat protected from those vectors of attack because they require root privileges. In Puppy, however, you run as root by default...

This isn't a criticism. As I have said in the past, I support Barry's choice to make Puppy root by default. (I do believe it would be nice if we had improved support for running as other-than-root built in however.)

I simply wish to make sure that nobody becomes complacent and believes that pfix=ram makes them totally invincible. It makes a huge difference, but there are still plenty of ways for your computer to be borked from pfix=ram mode.


If you want to play around in an environment where you really can't bork the computer, you should look at virtual machines. Assuming a bug-free implementation, you can boot a Puppy with Qemu and do anything you want. Unless you tell Qemu to give the virtual machine access to real devices, it can't touch them. (It can access the network by default, however. That can be disabled, IIRC.)


This public service announcement was sponsored by cake.
[size=75]Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. --Muad'Dib[/size]
[img]http://www.browserloadofcoolness.com/sig.png[/img]

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mikeb
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Joined: Thu 23 Nov 2006, 13:56

#2 Post by mikeb »

I have wiped the mbr running certain games in wine even though the (c:\) partition was unmounted...one of those occasions where not root running is recommended (by winehq)

mike

PaulBx1
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Joined: Sat 17 Jun 2006, 03:11
Location: Wyoming, USA

#3 Post by PaulBx1 »

pfix=ram, plus a recent full disk backup, makes you invincible. :wink:

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rjbrewer
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Joined: Tue 22 Jan 2008, 21:41
Location: merriam, kansas

#4 Post by rjbrewer »

PaulBx1 wrote:pfix=ram, plus a recent full disk backup, makes you invincible. :wink:
Not good enough; I want invisibility and the power of flight too. :)

Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs

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Lobster
Official Crustacean
Posts: 15522
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 06:06
Location: Paradox Realm
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#5 Post by Lobster »

I want cake

We do try and educate ourselves

We are generally not running servers
passing along Windows files
That is why Linux has virus checkers - to check
it is not carrying files that it is immune to but could infect the Redmond sheep.

Many of us insist on running from HD
from old habits.
(HD = hard disk - not High Definition in this case)
Some need to use HD for speed
and memory.

Many are better served with a
CD/DVD or multisession Puppy running
- hence the 'puppy pfix=ram' option
at boot up

Using 'puppy pfix=ram' and a new
(not existing save file) I would feel
my cake is safe

Then I would run the firewall
(I have a router firewall) but let us put the firewall
on
I am not yet connected to the internet
but let us have two firewalls
. . . and be running a non Windows OS
Personally I would feel safe

I would then connect to 'The Internet'
(warning may contain . . .
all kinds of things)
- viral ads, time traveling lobsters
dubious images
Image

I would not bother with GROWL
http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 79&t=45884

Now put on your mind control device
and enjoy baking your cake
http://www.biotele.com/mind_readers.html

More Mind control News
http://tmxxine.com/www/
Puppy Raspup 8.2Final 8)
Puppy Links Page http://www.smokey01.com/bruceb/puppy.html :D

aarf

Re: pfix=ram does not make you invincible

#6 Post by aarf »

Pizzasgood wrote:
This public service announcement was sponsored by cake.
was it fruitcake by any chance?

aarf

Re: pfix=ram does not make you invincible

#7 Post by aarf »

aarf wrote:
Pizzasgood wrote:
This public service announcement was sponsored by cake.
was it fruitcake by any chance?
ho hum, what was i thinking, obviously it was a piz-za-cake.

aarf

#8 Post by aarf »

you better be careful pizza,slandering your puppy like that could have unexpected consequences:Man Shot By His Dog

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hillside
Posts: 633
Joined: Sun 02 Sep 2007, 18:59
Location: Minnesota, USA. The frozen north.

#9 Post by hillside »

All my information written on a sheet of paper and locked in my desk drawer doesn't make me invincible.

There are no guarantees in life, but it helps to be a reasonably fast gazelle. If you're too slow, the lions will get you. Window's is definitely the slowest gazelle. Puppy? Too much work for the lions to chase down on a routine basis.

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bee_pipes
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat 23 Jan 2010, 06:23
Location: Podunk, Tn.

#10 Post by bee_pipes »

That's setting the bar mighty low. You don't have to outrun the lions, just the slowest gazelle.

Regards,
Pat

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Pizzasgood
Posts: 6183
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 20:28
Location: Knoxville, TN, USA

#11 Post by Pizzasgood »

It was strawberry-flavored cake, with strawberry-flavored frosting. Unfortunately, no actual strawberries. Pretty good anyway though. :)
[size=75]Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. --Muad'Dib[/size]
[img]http://www.browserloadofcoolness.com/sig.png[/img]

aarf

#12 Post by aarf »

hmpf.. so it was a fruitcake after all

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Pizzasgood
Posts: 6183
Joined: Wed 04 May 2005, 20:28
Location: Knoxville, TN, USA

#13 Post by Pizzasgood »

Well, a wanna-be fruitcake.
[size=75]Between depriving a man of one hour from his life and depriving him of his life there exists only a difference of degree. --Muad'Dib[/size]
[img]http://www.browserloadofcoolness.com/sig.png[/img]

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dejan555
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#14 Post by dejan555 »

Open your PC case and unplug your drives physically. :idea:
Err, just a thought... :roll:
puppy.b0x.me stuff mirrored [url=https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_Mb589v0iCXNnhSZWRwd3R2UWs]HERE[/url] or [url=http://archive.org/details/Puppy_Linux_puppy.b0x.me_mirror]HERE[/url]

aarf

#15 Post by aarf »

dejan555 wrote:Open your PC case and unplug your drives physically. :idea:
Err, just a thought... :roll:
mostly i run from internal SDcard so that would not be so difficult. Content that is produced myself is minimal anyway. Mostly what is stored on my computer is copies of what is on the web so damage or loss is not a irrevocable event. Even then everything is backedup to external Usb plugged HD.

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linuxsansdisquedur
Posts: 248
Joined: Tue 13 Jan 2009, 21:17
Location: South of France

#16 Post by linuxsansdisquedur »

invincibility with puppy ? .... be light ! 8)
- live cd to preserve OS
- no hd ( big fat hard disk to stock for ever before crash in a trash can mode)
OR data always on backup to never lose'em (military way) :x
OR accept to lose everything not necessary(ascetic way) :idea:
- a copy of pupsave on usb not connected in case of infection (or bad soft install?) :)
le max avec le min

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