Re: BUG #1191: odd usage of port 512 on localhost

On Mon, Jul 12, 2004 at 09:28:05PM -0300, PostgreSQL Bugs List wrote:
>
> Since I've installed postgres on debian-testing I'm getting firewall logs
> of:
>
> RELATED PACKET:
> SRC=localhost DST=localhost PROTO=ICMP CODE=3,3
> PROTO=UDP SPT=1030 DPT=512
>
> My logs show it happens every time postgres postmaster sends mail.

$ grep 512 /etc/services
exec 512/tcp
biff 512/udp comsat
$

You are seeing "biff", or the email-notification service (depricated) at
work. Something in the startup of Postgres sends email, and that is what
causes this.

Nothing to worry about.

> Any clue as to why Postgres would want rexecd on localhost? After all, the
> inetd author said NOT to allow anything localhost in hosts.allow since
> applications can too easily be insecure that way on many OSes.

No, not exec, but biff/comsat. (Udp versus Tcp)

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