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Evening all (or morning / afternoon to those in other timezones).

I've just done a check of the steam forums, there's not even a post about this. Has anyone seen any response from steam?
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wpegg: Evening all (or morning / afternoon to those in other timezones).

I've just done a check of the steam forums, there's not even a post about this. Has anyone seen any response from steam?
http://knowyourmeme.com/photos/370662-gabe-newell
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rtcvb32: Yeah that is some problematic code, but only if you run the script as admin, else you'll only delete your own files if/when it gets to your directory :P
I for one would rather lose my operating system which I can always install again, than my own files which are potentially irreplaceable..
Sometimes it's nice to sit on the side of the road with a cold one and watch the cars pile up in the street.
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Rixasha: I for one would rather lose my operating system which I can always install again, than my own files which are potentially irreplaceable..
Mmmm well you'd either lose your files, or you'd lose both. Unix/Linux systems will most likely let you delete every file on the computer, then when it goes to the next line of the script barf because the script is gone (maybe if it's going line by line), then barf again when it tries to run anything that's not an internal command, then fall back to the last shell that's still in memory... probably...


A simple solution to the problem is to make a unique user account just for games. It may seem silly, but at the same time it's exactly what most of the OS uses internally for it's operations, as you'll find usernames in Unix/Linux systems called ftp, admins, printer, backup and other assortment of names, which gives far more precise control over what files they can run or access period limiting their level of exposure in a worst case scenario...

Actually glancing at the list, games already exists... meaning probably that Valve should think better to make use of that account rather than using the user's account if possible...
Still not totally sure if this article is for real. It's frighteningly plausible though. And a bit hilarious.
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rtcvb32: A simple solution to the problem is to make a unique user account just for games.
Actually I think that's quite a good idea.
Post edited January 19, 2015 by jdsgn
My God.. what a disaster..
By the way, isn't such command too dangerous to be executed so easily by the system? (and when it's really needed, anyway?)
Post edited January 19, 2015 by phaolo
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phaolo: By the way, isn't such command too dangerous to be executed so easily? (and when it's really needed, anyway?)
Yes, by default if you use an open all encompassing * for file filtering, the rm command will complain to you and require verification of what you wanted.... at least until you add -f, bypassing the warnings.

Otherwise it's the account/user access that protects the system at that stage, but if you're root then those protections go bye-bye.
Is this still and issue?! Does steam still get too much permission?
Post edited November 28, 2017 by flatiron
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flatiron: Is this still and issue?! Does steam still get too much permission?
Skimming what appears to be the bug report dealing with this issue:

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/steam-for-linux/issues/3671

It appears folks have discovered where the Steam Linux client can still erase directories. The recent conversation starts about half way down.

Best bet would be to visit the Steam forums and see discussion over there.
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flatiron: Is this still and issue?! Does steam still get too much permission?
I don't know, but if you run Steam under a separate user account, it will not be able to delete files from your regular user account (assuming file permissions are sane). It could still delete your saves, however.

Of course, this also assumes Steam doesn't take advantage of a security vulnerability, but that's unlikely to happen by accident.
Windows 10 force-installed itself with no OPT-OUT available.
GOG Galaxy is stealthily installing itself, trojan horse style.
Steam go all the way and delete all user data, external drives included.
The Nexus Mod Giveaway says that it cannot be held responsible for "death occurring as a result of taking up the prize"

...Are those guys competing? If they're trying to outdo each other, it all makes some kind of sense.