Fork bombing a Linux machine as a non-root user

[Les Mikesell]

On Fri, 2005-03-18 at 23:02, M.Rudra wrote:
> > Put "ulimit -u <N>" in one of the system wide start up scripts.  this
> > will limit each user to a maximum of "N" processes .

> Thanks, to all the replies.
> So I gather that other users can misuse only if they have physical
> access to the said machine ? 

They don't need physical access, but at least network access to an
account (login/password) on the system. If you haven't set up
accounts for others or given out your password, no one will
be able to cause this problem.

>  If its not a big security threat do i
> still need to setup user limits ?  At home its just my 'significant
> other', a musician :-) and me. We mostly use it for internet, and
> other general stuff.  When not online, we physically disconnect the
> wire as a precaution as i cannot lose my case studies and backup.  I
> would like to know other better methods to secure my machine.

If you have something important, back it up to removable media
(CD/DVD/tape/USB hard drive, etc.) and keep it offline.  You are
more likely to have a hardware disk problem or make an error
yourself that damages the files than to have a security related
problem.  Good backups will save your data either way.

-- 
  Les Mikesell
    les at futuresource.com