Operating Systems

Protection in UNIX System

Ludlow Hamilton

University Of Phoenix

July 7, 2014

ALICIA PEARLMAN

Protection in UNIX System

The UNIX systems usually rely on the file access system that was discovered long ago in the days when UNIX was introduced in the software industry. In this case, the users are assigned ID numbers where the members are allowed to form groups; and then they create common file that will be used by each of the members in the groups. According to Jonson, (2010) “this file is used by the members by marking their user IDs. This one file is accessed by all the groups by the user of the group identity and also by all the members through their identity cards”. This type of protocol shows how one file can be used and accessed by many different people without disruption from others. The file can only be accessed by individual members in the group; outsiders are not able to access the file. The members are also granted an opportunity to look for names in the files; and through this, they can also rename, create, or even delete files in the directory. According to Jonson, (2010) “there are usually nine bits in the file that can be provided as grants to the members and an application is made to the directory, they have a right to create or delete any file in the directory”. There are two bits of the group ID, the individual identity and these are the ones that a member or a group is supposed to log in with and no outsider can access the file since he or she is not issued with an identity card. Comment by Alicia: The first paragraph is the introduction where the topic of the paper is introduced using a thesis statement. This was not done. What is the topic of this paper?

We might also ask the individual to protect their accounts by creating passwords that will be ones secret so as to avoid people from accessing the file if they are not members of the group. When files are created by the individual’s one will be able to see the new files through the use of UNIX. According to Jonson Shelly, (2008) “these changes can only be done when the programs are running thus the users are able to create the files that they could not be able to access before”. There might also be a master user who will be exempted from using the common file and he can access the system as a whole. The file also will give an opportunity to the new members who want to join the groups. According to Jonson, (2010) “the modern UNIX is different from that of the past and when the user wants to change the user ID they can be able to access and control the file through UNIX”. The modern UNIX is best compared to the past as it supports the control list including the Linux and the Solaris. The problem with the UNIX systems is that they limit to a certain number of groups that a user may be affiliated to and also the total number of groups that a system may hold. The BSD commands UNIX to allocate the user IDS and the groups to a certain file. The UNIX is capable of protecting a file without the use of an ACL UNIX. It is the best protector as it keeps a file safe; it protects the file from being accessed by intruders who are not group members. Thus, both the modern and the traditional can be used to perform this tasks but the modern one is more preferable. Comment by Alicia: Whqt does BSD stand for? Comment by Alicia: Please define all acronyms before using them. Comment by Alicia: APA format requires a concluding paragraph which sums up the whole paper.

Reference

Jonson, K. (2010). Review and remaksremarks about the linuxLinux programming interface. Linux and Unix.