
The central voice for Linux and Open Source security news

Welcome!

Sign up!

EnGarde Community

Polls

Is Mandatory Access Control Too Much Security For Enterprise's Linux?

	Yes, too difficult to configure and manage.
	No. You can never have enough security.
	Yes. Standard Linux security settings work for us.
	No. Industry demands will demand SELinux.
	Don't know.

Advisories

Community

Linux Events

Linux User Groups

Link to Us

Security Center

Book Reviews

Security Dictionary

Security Tips

SELinux

White Papers

Featured Blogs

Emily Ratliff: OS Security

DanWalsh LiveJournal

Security Bloggers Network

Latest Newsletters

Linux Advisory Watch: October 10th, 2008

Linux Security Week: October 6th, 2008

LinuxSecurity Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Get the LinuxSecurity news you want faster with RSS

Secure CVS Pserver Mini-HOWTO

Morgon Kanter

<morgon AT surgo DOT net>

February 2003

Revision History
Revision 1.1	2003-03-21	Revised by: mk
Fixed a missing link and added a section on CVSGrab
Revision 1.0	2003-02-01	Revised by: mk
Initial Release, reviewed by LDP.

This document will help you set up a more secure CVS Pserver for anonymous CVS access.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Getting the tools

2.1. What you need

2.2. Compiling the tools

2.2.1. Compiling CVS
2.2.2. Compiling cvsd

3. Setting up the tools

3.1. Creating the CVS Repository

3.2. Setting up the jail

3.2.1. Transferring the necessary files
3.2.2. Configuring cvsd

3.3. Adding anonymous access

3.4. Not quite done yet! Changing lock file locations

4. Alternatives to the Pserver

4.1. Access for developers
4.2. Anonymous CVS access by http
4.3. CVSGrab

5. Acknowledgements

6. GNU Free Documentation License

1. Introduction

CVS Pserver is, by definition, an insecure protocol. Among other things, passwords are transmitted in plain text, making it undesirable for much use. However, CVS Pserver is very good for providing anonymous CVS access to a repository.

In this document we will introduce you to setting up a CVS repository (although not intruding on the CVS HOWTO's space), and how to set up a chroot jail for the Pserver. We will also talk about using SSH for developer access to a repository.