Re: Why does Postgres need the /bin/sh?

Stephen Amadei <amadei@dandy.net> writes:
> Hey guys... second post of the day.  If you read my last post about
> Postgres 7.2.1 segfaulting on Slackware 8.0, you noted I am trying to
> chroot Postgres.  Unfortunately, my chrooted postgres cannot create
> databases due to a 'system' call, which runs '/bin/sh'.

Ah.

> While, IMHO, the safest way to do this would be to code the cp and rm code
> internally, I have patched my copy to do a fork and execl to call the cp
> and rm programs directly (and placed /bin/cp and /bin/rm in the chroot
> jail) as a quick fix... I feel it gives a bit more security.

Why?  If you are launching daemon processes with insecure directories
in their $PATH, who are you gonna blame but yourself?

I don't really see an advantage to reinventing the cp and rm wheels
here...

            regards, tom lane