Ubuntu Manpage: update-inetd - create, remove, enable or disable entry /etc/inetd.conf

NAME

       update-inetd - create, remove, enable or disable entry /etc/inetd.conf

SYNOPSIS

       update-inetd [option...] command argument

DESCRIPTION

update-inetd can be used to add, remove, enable or disable entries in the /etc/inetd.conf
file (you can specify a different file by using the --file option). After the
/etc/inetd.conf file has been changed, update-inetd will send a SIGHUP signal to the inetd
process to make sure that inetd will use the new /etc/inetd.conf file. For Perl scripts
you can also use the Perl module DebianNet. See DebianNet(3pm) for further information.
update-inetd can also be used to add entries that are commented out by default. They will
be treated like normal entries. That also means that if you already have an entry that is
commented out you cannot add an entry for the same service without removing the old one
first.

In accordance with the Debian Policy, update-inetd treats entries that are prefixed with a
single '#' character as commented out by a user. This means that for a user to disable a
service using update-inetd, and for the service to remain disabled after upgrades, the
user must run update-inetd with --comment-chars '#' (see relevant option below).
Conversely, package maintainer scripts should not override the default comment chars (and
when they do, they must not use '#').

Also note that --enable and --remove will not be acted upon for service entries that are
commented out using anything but the value specified with --comment-chars (or the default
value if none is specified).

COMMANDS

--add entry-line
Add an entry to /etc/inetd.conf. A description of the entry-line format can be found
in the inetd(8) or inetd.conf(5) manual pages (or just look at /etc/inetd.conf). In
order to prevent the shell from changing your entry-line definition you have to quote
the entry-line using single or double quotes. You can use tabs (tab character or \t)
and spaces to separate the fields of the entry-line. To add the entry-line to a
specific section in the /etc/inetd.conf file please use the --group option.

If you are trying to add an entry which already exists, update-inetd will not add the
entry. For uncommented entries it will do nothing and for entries that are commented
out by the comment-chars (see option --comment-chars) it will enable the existing
entry. If you want to completely replace an entry just remove the entry with the
--remove command first.

--remove entry-regex
Remove an entry-line matching entry-regex (e.g. "telnet") from /etc/inetd.conf. The
entry-regex will be anchored at the beginning of the entry line.

--enable service[,...]
Enable service (e.g. "ftp") in /etc/inetd.conf. If you want to enable more than one
service you can use a comma-separated list of services (no whitespace characters
allowed).

--disable service[,...]
Disable service (e.g. "ftp") in /etc/inetd.conf. If you want to disable more than one
service you can use a comma-separated list of services (no whitespace characters
allowed).

OPTIONS

--group groupname
Specify that the new entry should be placed in group groupname (e.g. "MAIL"). If the
group does not exist the entry will be placed at the end of the file. The default
group is "OTHER".

This option is only relevant with the --add command.

--pattern pattern
This option can be used to select a service. You only need this option if you have two
(or more) services of the same name.

This option is not relevant with the --add command.

--comment-chars characters
update-inetd uses "#<off># " as the default comment characters. You can use this
option to specify different comment characters. This is only necessary if you have to
deal with two (or more) services of the same name. If you do use this option, it is
your responsibility to eventually remove the commented out entry.

--multi
If you want to disable/remove more than one entry at a time you should use this
option. If you try to remove more than one entry at a time without using this option
the program will show a warning and prompt the user for an explicit confirmation.

--file filename
Use filename instead of /etc/inetd.conf.

--verbose
Explain what is being done.

--debug
Enables debugging mode.

--help
Print a usage message on standard output and exit successfully.

--version
Print version information on standard output and exit successfully.

EXAMPLES

       You have installed ssh (secure encrypting remote shell) and wish to disable its
       unencrypted cousins:

         update-inetd --comment-chars '#' --disable login,shell,exec,telnet

       Using a single '#' character as a comment-char prevents update-inetd to re-enable the
       services on package upgrades.

       You think the clock on your computer is often inaccurate and wish to make sure other
       computers cannot read it:

         update-inetd --comment-chars '#' --disable time,daytime

       You get the clock fixed:

         update-inetd --enable time,daytime

       You hear a rumor that inetd is easily crashed via a SYN attack against the time and
       daytime services, you want to turn off only their TCP versions, while leaving the
       analogous UDP services enabled:

         update-inetd --comment-chars '#' --pattern tcp --disable time,daytime

       You just finished writing a POP3 server and want to install the /etc/inetd.conf entry from
       the Makefile:

         update-inetd --group MAIL --add \
           'pop-3\t\tstream\ttcp\tnowait\troot\t/usr/sbin/tcpd\t/usr/sbin/in.pop3d'

FILES

       /etc/inetd.conf /var/run/inetd.pid