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Problem Report 0488 Details

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Report 0488 Actions

    Problem Report Number 0488
    Submitter's Classification Specification problem
    State Resolved
    Resolution Rejected (REJ)
    Problem Resolution ID REJ.X.0107
    Raised 1995-06-21 08:00
    Updated 2003-03-13 08:00
    Published null
    Product Standard Internationalised System Calls and Libraries (XPG4)
    Certification Program The Open Brand certification program
    Test Suite VSX4 version 4.3.4
    Test Identification POSIX.os/dataform/tar 31
    Problem Summary PG4R.108 The POSIX.1 and XPG4 standards do not say that the tar utility cannot set a non-zero exit code if it cannot set the user ID of an extracted file to the user ID associated with the file in the tar arch...
    Problem Text
    The POSIX.1 and XPG4 standards do not say that the tar utility cannot
    set a non-zero exit code if it cannot set the user ID of an extracted
    file to the user ID associated with the file in the tar archive file.

    XPG4 states the following:

    "OPERANDS

    x Extract the named file or files from the archive. ... If a
    named file in the archive does not exist on the system, the
    file is created with the same mode as the one in the archive,
    except that the set-user-ID and set-group-ID modes are not
    set unless the user has appropriate privileges. ... The
    owner, group, and modification times are restored (if
    possible)."

    and:

    "EXIT STATUS

    0 Successful completion

    >0 An error occurred."

    If the user does not have the appropriate privileges to set the user
    and/or group ID of a, our tar utility still restores the file using the
    caller's user and group id, issues a warning message to stderr, and
    exits with a status of 1. We believe this behavior is consistent with
    POSIX.1 and XPG4.

    As for whether being able to set the user and/or group ids of a file
    constitutes an error, we would like to use another utility for an
    example. The XPG4 standard specifically requires the pax utility to
    exit with non-zero status if information such as the file's owner
    cannot be preserved. It's also interesting to note that the exit
    status definition for pax is virtually identical to that of tar.
    Since the failure to preserve a user id is considered an error by the
    pax utility, we believe it's logical for tar to consider it as an
    error as well.
    Test Output
    /tset/POSIX.os/dataform/tar/T.tar 31 Unresolved

    Test Description:
    For the extended tar format, the user ID of an extracted file is set
    to the process's effective user ID when used by a nonprivileged
    process.
    Posix Ref: Component Data Interchange Format Assertion 10.1-07(A)

    Test Information:
    deletion reason: format reading utility gave unexpected exit code 1

    Review Information

    Review Type TSMA Review
    Start Date null
    Completed null
    Status Complete
    Review Recommendation No Resolution Given
    Review Response
    The question raised by this request relates to an issue that falls between
    the definitions of the behaviour required by the archive extracting utility
    as per POSIX.1 and the specific behaviour required for the extraction of tar
    format files by the tar utility described in XPG4. The POSIX.1 specification
    states that for non-privileged extractions, files should be created in the same
    fashion as creat() would create them when given the mode value aas stored in
    the archive. POSIX.1 states that the mode bits are ignored in the case that
    the user does not have appropriate privileges, whereas in other cases POSIX.1
    specifies that an error will occur. Thus from the text of POSIX.1 it can be
    surmised that the archive extracting utility should not indicate an error in
    these circumstances but simply ignore the setting of the bits.

    XPG4 similarly specifies that the mode may not be set as on the archive unless
    the user has appropriate privileges. It does not specify whether or not the
    failure to set these bits constitutes an error.

    Also, it should be noted that refering to the tar specification in XPG4 may not
    resolve the problem since this is not defined as the only extracting utility
    that is available. (pax could also be used).

    On balance I do not feel able to recommend that this request for a waiver be
    granted. The statements in POSIX.1 seem to be sufficient, though not
    consclusive, in indicating that an error should not be indicated by the
    extracting function. I would suggest that this waiver is forward to the
    K/RT group for interpretation.

    Review Type Expert Group Review
    Start Date null
    Completed null
    Status Complete
    Review Resolution No Resolution Given
    Review Conclusion
    The Working Group agrees that this request should be refused.

    Review Type SA Review
    Start Date null
    Completed null
    Status Complete
    Review Resolution Rejected (REJ)
    Review Conclusion
    This request is refused.

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