update-inetd(8) Linux Programmer's Manual update-inetd(8)NAMEupdate-inetd - create, remove, enable or disable entry in
/etc/inetd.conf
SYNOPSISupdate-inetd [--file FILENAME] [--help] [--version] [--verbose] [--com‐
ment-chars CHARACTERS] [--debug] [--group GROUPNAME] --add ENTRY
update-inetd [--file FILENAME] [--help] [--version] [--verbose] [--pat‐
tern PATTERN] [--multi] [--debug] --remove SERVICE
update-inetd [--file FILENAME] [--help] [--version] [--verbose] [--com‐
ment-chars CHARACTERS] [--pattern PATTERN] [--multi] [--debug] --enable
SERVICE
update-inetd [--file FILENAME] [--help] [--version] [--verbose] [--com‐
ment-chars CHARACTERS] [--pattern PATTERN] [--multi] [--debug] --dis‐
able SERVICE
DESCRIPTIONupdate-inetd can be used to add, remove, enable or disable entries in
the /etc/inetd.conf file (you can specify a different file by using the
--file option). After the /etc/inetd.conf file has been changed,
update-inetd will send a SIGHUP signal to the inetd process to make
sure that inetd will use the new /etc/inetd.conf file. For Perl scripts
you can also use the Perl module DebianNet.pm . See DebianNet(3pm) for
further information. update-inetd can also be used to add entries that
are commented out by default. They will be treated like normal entries.
That also means that if you already have an entry that is commented out
you can't add an entry for the same service without removing the old
one first.
In accordance with the Debian Policy, update-inetd treats entries that
are prefixed with a single `#' character as commented out by a user.
This means that for a user to disable a service using update-inetd, and
for the service to remain disabled after upgrades, the user must run
update-inetd with --comment-chars '#' (see relevant option below).
Conversely, package maintainer scripts should not override the default
comment chars (and when they do, they must not use '#').
Also note that --enable and --remove will not be acted upon for service
entries that are commented out using anything but the value specified
with --comment-chars (or the default value if none is specified).
OPTIONS--version
Print version information on standard output and exit success‐
fully.
--help Print a usage message on standard output and exit successfully.
--verbose
Explain what is being done.
--debug
Enables debugging mode.
--file FILENAME
Use FILENAME instead of /etc/inetd.conf .
--group GROUPNAME
Specify that the new entry should be placed in group GROUPNAME
(e.g. ”MAIL"). If the group does not exist the entry will be
placed at the end of the file. The default group is ”OTHER".
--comment-chars CHARACTERS
update-inetd uses ”#<off># ” as the default comment characters.
You can use this option to specify different comment characters.
This is only necessary if you have to deal with two (or more)
services of the same name. If you do use this option, it is your
responsibility to eventually remove the commented out entry.
--pattern PATTERN
This option can be used to select a service. You only need this
option if you have two (or more) services of the same name.
--multi
If you want to disable/remove more than one entry at a time you
should use this option. If you try to remove more than one entry
at a time without using this option the program will show a
warning and prompt the user for an explicit confirmation.
--add ENTRY
Add an entry to /etc/inetd.conf . A description of the ENTRY
format can be found in the inetd(8) or inetd.conf(5) manual
pages (or just look at /etc/inetd.conf). In order to prevent
the shell from changing your ENTRY definition you have to quote
the ENTRY using single or double quotes. You can use tabs (the
tab character or \t) and spaces to separate the fields of the
ENTRY. To add the ENTRY to a specific section in the
/etc/inetd.conf file please use the --group option in addition
to the --add option.
If you are trying to add an entry which already exists update-
inetd won't add the entry. For uncommented entries it will do
nothing and for entries that are commented out by the comment-
chars (see option --comment-chars ) it will enable the existing
entry. If you want to completely replace an entry just remove
the entry with the --remove option first.
--remove SERVICE
Remove SERVICE (e.g. telnet) from /etc/inetd.conf
--enable SERVICE
Enable SERVICE (e.g. ”ftp") in /etc/inetd.conf . If you want to
enable more than one SERVICE you can use a comma separated list
of services (no whitespace characters allowed).
--disable SERVICE
Disable SERVICE (e.g. ”ftp") in /etc/inetd.conf . If you want to
disable more than one SERVICE you can use a comma separated list
of services (no whitespace characters allowed).
In order to prevent the shell from changing your ENTRY definition you
have to quote the ENTRY using single or double quotes. You can use tabs
(the tab character or \t) and spaces to separate the fields of the
ENTRY. If you want to enable/disable more than one SERVICE you can use
a comma separated list of services (no whitespace characters allowed).
EXAMPLES
You've installed ssh (secure encrypting remote shell) and wish to dis‐
able its unencrypted cousins:
update-inetd--comment-chars '#' --disable
login,shell,exec,telnet
Using a single '#' character as a comment-char prevents update-inetd to
re-enable the services on package upgrades.
You think the clock on your computer is often inaccurate and wish to
make sure other computers cannot read it:
update-inetd--comment-chars '#' --disable time,daytime
You get the clock fixed:
update-inetd--enable time,daytime
You hear a rumor that inetd is easily crashed via a SYN attack against
the time and daytime services, you want to turn off only their TCP ver‐
sions, while leaving the analogous UDP services enabled:
update-inetd--comment-chars '#' --pattern tcp --disable
time,daytime
You just finished writing a POP3 server and want to install the
/etc/inetd.conf entry from the makefile:
update-inetd--group MAIL --add \
'pop-3\t\tstream\ttcp\tnowait\troot\t/usr/sbin/tcpd\t/usr/sbin/in.pop3d'
FILES
/etc/inetd.conf /var/run/inetd.pid
SEE ALSODebianNet(3pm)AUTHOR
Peter Tobias, <tobias@et-inf.fho-emden.de>
Linux 27 August 2009 update-inetd(8)