Re: Password Sync Oracle/Unix within Oracle proc?

From: Mike Dodd <doddme_at_-remove-mindspring.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Nov 2004 19:21:03 -0600
Message-ID: <3abod.26603$NC6.18210@newsread1.mlpsca01.us.to.verio.net>

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 12:06:30 -0600, Sybrand Bakker wrote (in article <tn1vp0139m8b4t0gfd3jdkl87e9jo0udp9_at_4ax.com>):

> On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:19:06 -0600, Mike Dodd
> <doddme_at_-remove-mindspring.com> wrote:
>

>> We have an application which requires that the Unix and Oracle passwords 
>> match.   The application (apparently) stores the password and uses it for 
>> Unix shell scripts and running scripts from the command prompt (all behind 
>> the scenes).

>
>
> Sadly, there is no need for that, as Oracle has O/S authentication. In
> this case any user with an Oracle account 'externally identified' and
> the same name as their Unix account will get in without password.
> So the procedure the app enforces is crap.
>
> Also, apparently it is too cumbersome for you to mention version and
> the rest of the answer is version dependent.
>
>
> --
> Sybrand Bakker, Senior Oracle DBA

Sorry, the app in this case is Oracle Clinical. The Oracle Server release version is 9.0.3, and the Application release is 4.5

We're aware of the 'externally identified' option (OS_AUTHENTICATION). The Application runs several processes outside Oracle and connects back using the Oracle Password, runs scripts using the same password in Unix. The Oracle account must have a password because of the way this particular application works. We're kind of stuck using this app because it's validated and we're in a regulated environment.

We had another (crap) application (Password Manager) that we used to sync the two, but they don't support unix anymore. It really was a stinker of an application, and maybe it's time we moved off of it.

It may be a moot point, I know the OC application provides a tool to sync the unix/oracle passwords, but there was some problem with it. We're going to re-visit this.

I was hoping that once the user came into the 'app' they might be able to change their unix password through a procedure. At first I didn't see it as that big of a deal, I can email, ftp, open/read/write/close files, etc, I thought running an executable might be just another option I missed. Apparently, it's not such a small deal after all.

I'm not the primary on this particular application, so I may have a few details wrong (sorry), but the primary has no usenet access, I thought I'd do a favor and ask the group nicely if there were any tools to allow us to change the password from within a procedure.

Sorry if I caused a stir. Received on Sun Nov 21 2004 - 19:21:03 CST