Operating Systems > Linux and UNIX
Stupid bug
DukePuke:
damn cant understand, is this problem just for me? Its not actual for you?
Calum:
duke,
let me clear something up.
you appear to be saying that linux has a bug and allows a privacy violation which is due to this thing that you describe. I have also noticed this by the way, it is indeed actual for me in many operating systems.
Now. you say this is the fault of "linux". Rubbish. This is the fault of "XFree86" which is an ancient piece of software which is still used as the default platform for graphical user interfaces under most *IX environments. This is good software and is fully network aware, or it would not still be being used all this time later. That said, there are limits. A lot of the things people no want from X were never dreamed of when the project was started. In a lot of ways X is a hack job, and the fact it does so well despite this shows that generally it works well.
As Refalm says X is buggy in a lot of ways, in my opinion this is because it has reached its limit, and something else should be actively developed to provide a network aware GUI framework, whereupon X can be phased out.
BUT this bug has NOTHING to do with linux. linux is not insecure simply because you choose to run X on it. X is applications level software, and has NOTHING to do with the system. you install a system, you choose what applications software to put on it. At the harshest end, either put up with the software that's available or rewrite the software so you are happy with it. Myself i am surprised nobody has fixed this in X already, or perhaps its an unfixable or particularly awkward bug, i don't know.
So there you go. Yes it exists, no it has nothing to do with linux, even though yoru linux operating system came packaged with this buggy software.
mobrien_12:
Duke,
If one uses a Graphical Login system such as XDM, GDM, or KDM, then this will not happen.
What is happening is that the graphics card is engaged, and it displays the contents of the video RAM. If there is previous data in video RAM, it will be shown for the short time before the X Server puts new data in the Video RAM.
Using graphical logins means that video ram will be overwritten with the login screen.
I don't remember seeing this with the proprietary NVIDIA driver, propbably because it puts the NVIDIA logo up.
I never really thought about it before until you posted it. For the sake of security privacy, it would probably be good to flush the video buffer before engaging the display. I'd suggest that you tactfully submit the idea to www.xfree86.org, but they seem to be going a little nuts lately. Maybe the guys at Xorg would appreciate it.
[ May 07, 2004: Message edited by: M. O'Brien ]
hm_murdock:
x.org is much better. from what I've heard, it's very, very nice.
flap:
quote:What is happening is that the graphics card is engaged, and it displays the contents of the video RAM. If there is previous data in video RAM, it will be shown for the short time before the X Server puts new data in the Video RAM.
--- End quote ---
He reckons it happens between reboots.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version