debian man page for safe_finger

SAFE_FINGER(8)						     Linux Programmer's Manual						    SAFE_FINGER(8)

NAME
       safe_finger - finger client wrapper that protects against nasty stuff from finger servers

SYNOPSIS
       safe_finger [finger_options]

DESCRIPTION
       The  safe_finger  command  protects  against nasty stuff from finger servers. Use this program for automatic reverse finger probes from the
       tcp_wrapper (tcpd) , not the raw finger command. The safe_finger command makes sure that the finger client is not run with root privileges.
       It  also  runs  the finger client with a defined PATH environment.  safe_finger will also protect you from problems caused by the output of
       some finger servers. The problem: some programs may react to stuff in the first column. Other programs may get upset by thrash anywhere	on
       a  line.  File  systems may fill up as the finger server keeps sending data. Text editors may bomb out on extremely long lines.	The finger
       server may take forever because it is somehow wedged.  safe_finger takes care of all this badness.

SEE ALSO
       hosts_access(5), hosts_options(5), tcpd(8)

AUTHOR
       Wietse Venema, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.

Linux								  21th June 1997						    SAFE_FINGER(8)