freebsd stable - Jun 2003 - Periodic scripts

Why there is a weekly script that rebuilds the locate database when:

 >>> WARNING
 >>> Executing updatedb as root.  This WILL reveal all filenames
 >>> on your machine to all login users, which is a security risk.


Is there a way to put dates on the periodic scripts report output for 
those who redirect the reports to files instead of mail messages? There 
is no easy way to tell what date a report belongs to.


Santos

On Sun, Jun 08, 2003 at 01:11:16PM +0100, Santos wrote:
> Why there is a weekly script that rebuilds the locate database when:
> 
> >>> WARNING
> >>> Executing updatedb as root.  This WILL reveal all filenames
> >>> on your machine to all login users, which is a security risk.
> 
> 
> Is there a way to put dates on the periodic scripts report output for 
> those who redirect the reports to files instead of mail messages? There 
> is no easy way to tell what date a report belongs to.
Create a 'timestamp' periodic job, which does nothing except print out
the date at which it is invoked.  Save this as, say,
/etc/periodic/daily/000.timestamp to ensure that it gets run as the
first job.  The timestamp script should return exit code 1 to ensure
that the periodic script knowns it has produced output that should be
included in the report:

    #!/bin/sh
    #
    # Emit timestamp at start of daily periodic run

    date +"Daily run started at %H:%M %p %Z on %d/%m/%Y"
    exit 1

	Cheers,

	Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                       26 The Paddocks
                                                      Savill Way
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey         Marlow
Tel: +44 1628 476614                                  Bucks., SL7 1TH UK
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On Sun, Jun 08, 2003 at 01:11:16PM +0100, Santos wrote:
> Why there is a weekly script that rebuilds the locate database when:
> 
> >>> WARNING
> >>> Executing updatedb as root.  This WILL reveal all filenames
> >>> on your machine to all login users, which is a security risk.
To save you from yourself by the sound of it :^)
>From the aforementioned weekly script:
	echo /usr/libexec/locate.updatedb | nice -5 su -fm nobody || rc=3

Your other question was already answered.

Ceri
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