NAME

       safe_finger - finger client wrapper that protects against nasty stuff from finger servers

SYNOPSIS

       safe_finger [finger_options]

DESCRIPTION

       The safe_finger command protects against nasty stuff from finger servers. Use this program
       for automatic reverse finger probes from the tcp_wrapper  (tcpd)  ,  not  the  raw  finger
       command.  The  safe_finger  command makes sure that the finger client is not run with root
       privileges. It also runs the finger client with a defined PATH  environment.   safe_finger
       will  also  protect  you  from  problems  caused by the output of some finger servers. The
       problem: some programs may react to stuff in the first  column.  Other  programs  may  get
       upset  by  thrash  anywhere on a line. File systems may fill up as the finger server keeps
       sending data. Text editors may bomb out on extremely long lines.  The  finger  server  may
       take forever because it is somehow wedged.  safe_finger takes care of all this badness.

SEE ALSO

       hosts_access(5), hosts_options(5), tcpd(8)

AUTHOR

       Wietse Venema, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.