System Administration Guide: Resource Management and Network Services

UUCP remote.unknown File

The other file that affects the use of communication facilities is the remote.unknown file. This file is a binary program that executes when a machine that is not found in any of the Systems files starts a conversation. This program logs the conversation attempt and drops the connection.


Caution – Caution –

If you change the permissions of the remote.unknown file so that it cannot execute, your system accepts connections from any system.


This program executes when a machine that is not in any of the Systems starts a conversation. The program logs the conversation attempt but fails to make a connection. If you change the permissions of this file so that it cannot execute (chmod 000 remote.unknown), your system accepts any conversation requests. This is not a trivial change, and you should have good reasons for making it.