HCON user configuration files and root access

ITEM: RS4000015494



**************> QUESTION level 1 --> level 2 SPECIALIST <**************         
Question:                                                                       
Is it necessary that the 4 u* HCON configuration files                          
are accessible by root?                                                         
We are trying to configure an environment in which the                          
users' home directories are exported by NFS from a SERVER.                      
We would like these directories to be exported with                             
Anonomous UID set to -1 because we don't want that                              
the root user of each client system has the possibility to access               
the home directory of all the users.                                            
Is this possible?                                                               
If yes, how? As we are getting ODM corruption messages.                         
Thanks, best regards, Marina.                                                   
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                 
PMR E0164,998,758 was created on 96/08/01 at 14:53:33.                          
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> ASGN: BUNLOEUR AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960801                  
TIME:1059                                                                       
Received by Austin ITSC and assigned to AIXCOMM.                                
                                                                                
Your question has been received, and assigned to a specialist.  Please          
wait for a reply.  Thank you.                                                   
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> RESP: AIXOPSYS AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960801                  
TIME:1113                                                                       
Your item is being researched.                                                  
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************        
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> RESP: AIXOPSYS AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960802                  
TIME:1655                                                                       
Response:                                                                       
                                                                                
The usrdflts, usrdflts.vc, usrprofs, usrprofs.vc files must have                
read and write permissions for the hcon user they belong to.  If                
the hcon sessions are added for the root user, then they must have              
read and write permissions for root.  If the hcon sessions are for              
a non-root user - then they do not need root permission.                        
**************> QUESTION level 1 --> level 2 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN ITALY                                
Question:                                                                       
Is it necessary that the 4 u* HCON configuration files                          
are accessible by root?                                                        
We are trying to configure an environment in which the                          
users' home directories are exported by NFS from a SERVER.                      
We would like these directories to be exported with                             
Anonomous UID set to -1 because we don't want that                              
the root user of each client system has the possibility to access               
the home directory of all the users.                                            
Is this possible?                                                               
If yes, how? As we are getting ODM corruption messages.                         
Thanks, best regards, Marina.                                                   
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
PMR E0164,998,758 was created on 96/08/01 at 14:53:33.                          
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> ASGN: BUNLOEUR AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960801                 
TIME:1059                                                                       
Received by Austin ITSC and assigned to AIXCOMM.                                
                                                                                
Your question has been received, and assigned to a specialist.  Please          
wait for a reply.  Thank you.                                                   
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> RESP: AIXOPSYS AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960801                  
TIME:1113                                                                       
Your item is being researched.                                                  
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> RESP: AIXOPSYS AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960802                  
TIME:1655                                                                       
Response:                                                                      
                                                                                
The usrdflts, usrdflts.vc, usrprofs, usrprofs.vc files must have                
read and write permissions for the hcon user they belong to.  If                
the hcon sessions are added for the root user, then they must have              
read and write permissions for root.  If the hcon sessions are for              
a non-root user - then they do not need root permission.                        
                                                                                
New question:                                                                   
The 4 u* HCON configuration files are not in a local directory,                 
but in one imported via NFS. We noticed that if we export the directory         
with Anonymous UID set to -1 we get an ODM corruption message when              
running and HCON session. Is this the correct way it should work?               
If yes, doesn't this mean that root (UID=0) must have access to                 
those files?                                                                    
Ant clarification will be welcome. Thanks again, best regards, Marina.         
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
PMR E0164,998,758 was updated on 96/09/02 at 13:15:22.                          
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> ASGN: BUNLOEUR AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960903                  
TIME:0859                                                                       
Received by Austin ITSC and assigned to AIXOPSYS.                               
                                                                                
Your question has been received, and assigned to a specialist.  Please          
wait for a reply.  Thank you.                                                   
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> RESP: AIXOPSYS AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960903                  
TIME:1143                                                                      
YOUR ITEM IS BEING RESEARCHED                                                   
**************> ANSWER   level 2 --> level 1 SPECIALIST <**************         
====> THIS TEXT HAS BEEN ENTERED BY IBM IN USA                                  
====> RESP: AIXOPSYS AT WTSCPOK  ================= DATE:960905                  
TIME:1208                                                                       
Response:                                                                       
                                                                                
The HCON u* files should be in the users login directory even if it is          
imported through NFS. By default the root user would have access to             
these files, although its contents are hard to read and manipulate.             
Changing the UID could (and as in your case, did) cause a problem with          
HCONs ODM when the user who owns the files tries to access HCON. It is          
one of those rare files that a user does not have total control over            
who can access it because of the way HCON handles those file                    
internally.                                                                    
                                                                                
I hope this helps.                                                              
                                                                                
Thank you for using AIX Support Family.                                         
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                                
                                                                               


WWQA: ITEM: RS4000015494 ITEM: RS4000015494
Dated: 08/1996 Category: AIXCOMMS
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