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Status Delivered
Workspace AIX
Created by Guest
Created on Apr 12, 2019

Show ssh arguments in process table

Please enable/show the arguments passed to ssh in a ps (process table) output.

On AIX all openssh versions (except version 6.0.0.6204) do not show the arguments passed to the command in a ps (process table) output

> lslpp -l openssh.base.client
Fileset Level State Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
openssh.base.client 6.0.0.6204 COMMITTED Open Secure Shell Commands
> /bin/ssh localhost sleep 10&
[1] 55509018
> ps -f
UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD
nl17408 55509018 44630350 0 13:39:35 pts/54 0:00 /bin/ssh localhost sleep 10 <<< does show arguments


> lslpp -l openssh.base.client
Fileset Level State Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
openssh.base.client 7.5.102.1600 COMMITTED Open Secure Shell Commands
> /bin/ssh localhost sleep 10&
[1] 17629644
ps -f
UID PID PPID C STIME TTY TIME CMD
nl17408 17629644 35193144 32 13:43:11 pts/19 0:00 /bin/ssh <<< does not show arguments


IBM arguments for this behavior:
a - It has been disabled for security reasons (by design)
b - It has been disabled by the OpenSSH developers (and not by IBM)

I strongly object to these reasons as this behavior is ONLY SHOWN ON AIX.
Other OSs like Linux, HP-UX and Solaris ALWAYS show the arguments.

How come this is only a "security risk" on AIX and not on other UNIXs?
Why would OpenSSH (only) make an "exception" for AIX?

I can understand this reasoning if IBM would make the binaries from unmodified! OpenSSH source code.
But that seems to be not the case as we got word that IBM changes it in the areas of pty and authentication.

I do understand that IBM can interpreted it like this as they only see/look at AIX ssh.
It always had this behavior on all versions (except on 1).
But that does raise the question. How come that 1 version (v6.0.0.6204) does not?
Who implemented that change/fix, OpenSSH? IBM?

We want IBM to provide us an ssh which does the same as the other UNIXs i.e. show the arguments.
a - Because we always have been using the ssh provided by IBM
b - The unmodified OpenSSH source code is (somehow) not correct in pty and authentication and we have
no access to the modifications made by IBM. (e.g. we cannot build it properly.)

And, whoever implements/implemented this "security" feature:
A system wide configuration setting (i.e. in /etc/ssh/ssh_config) to turn this 'feature' on or off would be of much value.

Idea priority Medium
  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 17, 2019

    .The problem is fixed:

    URL: https://www-01.ibm.com/marketing/iwm/iwm/web/pickUrxNew.do?source=aixbp&S_PKG=openssh
    Fileset VRMF : 7.5.102.1800

  • Guest
    Reply
    |
    Jun 3, 2019

    .The fix will be integrated into the Spring ssh update.