requiring .desktop files to be executable ?

[John Tapsell]

2009/2/18 R.F. Pels <ruurd at kdemail.net>:
> On Wed 18 February 2009 02.38.46 Michael Pyne wrote:
>
>>> How about allowing execution if any of following conditions are
>>> set: * x-bit it set
>>> * owned by root
>>> * In a standard path
>
>> Why allow both root exception and std path exception?  It seems to me
>> that they cover the same case.
>
> I'd say make it the same as a 'regular' executable:
>
> - it is readable for the person trying to execute it
We don't need to check for this, since if we can't read we can't
execute it anyway :-)

> - it has the x bit set
> - it is on a standard path (for .desktop files that is)
> - in this case, it has a hash-bang path (treat it as a script)
>
>>> If a desktop file is run that doesn't fit these requirement, we
>>> warn the user harshly, set the x-bit if they agree anyway, and
>>> continue to run.
>
> Uhm, and what if the user is not the owner?
>
>> I'm not sure I like the idea of having an Override button in the
>> prompt but definitely we need to include some way of having the user
>> be able to fix it (I just think it's better if it takes more than one
>> click, i.e. click to open the .desktop file properties or something).
>
> +1
>
>> Also, what do we actually break on existing systems by making this
>> change?  Do we need to make like a kconf_update script for upgrades
>> or would the existing exceptions we have work?
>
> Well, it looks like editing of menu's is out of the question as soon as
> a launcher .desktop needs to be in a specific path. Should one allow
> execution from .config/share/applications??? Isn't that a security risk?
> So now we only can let root change the content of desktop files, right?
> No more menu editor... for example.
>
>> To figure this out we need to know what we use executable .desktop
>> files for.
>
> I'd say as launchers. Methinks the majority of desktop files in
> /usr/share/applications are launchers.
>
> --
> R.F. Pels,          Boogerd 1, 1791 GW  Den Burg, Texel, The Netherlands
> +31612914545        ruurd at kdemail.net      http://home.tiscali.nl/~ruurd
>
>
>