On Mon, 3 Jul 2006, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Hi
>
> Here we go again, why is inetd on by default?
>
> I am very sorry to ask this question! My guess is that it has been asked a
> thousand times. I did look in the archives and on google, trying to find a
> clear answer but I must have mised it.
>
> The note on the inetd.conf file, which states, that it is almost always
> needed, doesn't provide that as the reason why it is on.
>
> The reason why I post this is because I have read many times about OpenBSD,
> that EVERYTHING is off by default. I never gave it much thought until I had to
> do some testing at work, with both FreeBSD and NetBSD. I was rather surprised
> that both FreeBSD and NetBSD have inetd off by default but OpenBSD doesn't. So
> what? So nothing!
You were misinformed that we shut everything off. We do not want to
create an unusable system.
>
> One of the first things I do, after installing OpenBSD, is to turn it off.
> Later if needed I turn it on but I have never needed it except on a machine
> running tftp.
inetd provides a few standard services, like ident. Some things use
those services, like mail.
>
> I do understand that since it is running by default it doesn't provide a risk,
> otherwise OpenBSD would have turned it off.
>
> With the risk of being flamed: In my opinion it should be off be default. That
> way absolutely nothing is running before it is turned on by the user.
It is useful, there's no risk and it consumes very little resources.
Why shut it off? You have given no reason other than: I do not like to
run it. So don't.
-Otto
