Provided by: update-inetd_4.51_all bug

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

SEE ALSO

       inetd(8), DebianNet(3pm)