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32 .\" from: @(#)inetd.8 8.3 (Berkeley) 4/13/94
33 .\" $FreeBSD: src/usr.sbin/inetd/inetd.8,v 1.46.2.13 2003/03/12 22:08:14 trhodes Exp $
34 .\" $DragonFly: src/usr.sbin/inetd/inetd.8,v 1.3 2007/11/23 23:16:37 swildner Exp $
51 .Op Fl a Ar address | hostname
55 .Op Ar configuration file
59 utility should be run at boot time by
63 It then listens for connections on certain
64 internet sockets. When a connection is found on one
65 of its sockets, it decides what service the socket
66 corresponds to, and invokes a program to service the request.
67 The server program is invoked with the service socket
68 as its standard input, output and error descriptors.
72 continues to listen on the socket (except in some cases which
73 will be described below). Essentially,
75 allows running one daemon to invoke several others,
76 reducing load on the system.
78 The following options are available:
79 .Bl -tag -width indent
83 Turn on logging of successful connections.
85 Turn on TCP Wrapping for external services.
87 .Sx "IMPLEMENTATION NOTES"
88 section for more information on TCP Wrappers support.
90 Turn on TCP Wrapping for internal services which are built in to
93 Specify the default maximum number of
94 simultaneous invocations of each service;
95 the default is unlimited.
96 May be overridden on a per-service basis with the "max-child"
99 Specify the default maximum number of times a service can be invoked
100 from a single IP address in one minute; the default is unlimited.
101 May be overridden on a per-service basis with the
102 "max-connections-per-ip-per-minute" parameter.
104 Specify the maximum number of times a service can be invoked
105 in one minute; the default is 256.
106 A rate of 0 allows an unlimited number of invocations.
108 Specify the default maximum number of
109 simultaneous invocations of each service from a single IP address;
110 the default is unlimited.
111 May be overridden on a per-service basis with the "max-child-per-ip"
114 Specify one specific IP address to bind to.
115 Alternatively, a hostname can be specified,
116 in which case the IPv4 or IPv6 address
117 which corresponds to that hostname is used.
118 Usually a hostname is specified when
122 in which case the hostname corresponds to the
126 When hostname specification is used
127 and both IPv4 and IPv6 bindings are desired,
128 one entry with the appropriate
130 type for each binding
131 is required for each service in
132 .Pa /etc/inetd.conf .
134 a TCP-based service would need two entries,
141 See the explanation of the
146 Specify an alternate file in which to store the process ID.
151 reads its configuration information from a configuration
152 file which, by default, is
153 .Pa /etc/inetd.conf .
154 There must be an entry for each field of the configuration
155 file, with entries for each field separated by a tab or
156 a space. Comments are denoted by a
159 of a line. There must be an entry for each field. The
160 fields of the configuration file are as follows:
162 .Bd -unfilled -offset indent -compact
166 {wait|nowait}[/max-child[/max-connections-per-ip-per-minute[/max-child-per-ip]]]
167 user[:group][/login-class]
169 server program arguments
173 .Tn "ONC RPC" Ns -based
174 service, the entry would contain these fields:
176 .Bd -unfilled -offset indent -compact
180 user[:group][/login-class]
182 server program arguments
185 There are two types of services that
187 can start: standard and TCPMUX.
188 A standard service has a well-known port assigned to it;
189 it may be a service that implements an official Internet standard or is a
194 TCPMUX services are nonstandard services that do not have a
195 well-known port assigned to them.
196 They are invoked from
198 when a program connects to the
200 well-known port and specifies
202 This feature is useful for adding locally-developed servers.
203 TCPMUX requests are only accepted when the multiplexor service itself
204 is enabled, above and beyond and specific TCPMUX-based servers; see the
205 discussion of internal services below.
209 entry is the name of a valid service in
212 or the specification of a
214 domain socket (see below).
217 services (discussed below), the service
220 be the official name of the service (that is, the first entry in
221 .Pa /etc/services ) .
222 When used to specify an
223 .Tn "ONC RPC" Ns -based
224 service, this field is a valid RPC service name in
227 The part on the right of the
229 is the RPC version number.
231 can simply be a single numeric argument or a range of versions.
232 A range is bounded by the low version to the high version -
234 For TCPMUX services, the value of the
236 field consists of the string
238 followed by a slash and the
239 locally-chosen service name.
240 The service names listed in
245 Try to choose unique names for your TCPMUX services by prefixing them with
246 your organization's name and suffixing them with a version number.
257 depending on whether the socket is a stream, datagram, raw,
258 reliably delivered message, or sequenced packet socket.
259 TCPMUX services must use
264 must be a valid protocol or
270 both of which imply IPv4 for backward compatibility.
285 specify that the entry accepts both IPv4 and IPv6 connections
289 If it is desired that the service is reachable via T/TCP, one should
292 which implies IPv4 for backward compatibility.
295 specifies IPv4 only, while
300 specify that the entry accepts both IPv6 and IPv6 connections
305 (for which only IPv4 is supported at this time)
306 are specified with the
311 TCPMUX services must use
320 entry specifies whether the server that is invoked by
323 the socket associated with the service access point, and thus whether
325 should wait for the server to exit before listening for new service
327 Datagram servers must use
329 as they are always invoked with the original datagram socket bound
330 to the specified service address.
331 These servers must read at least one datagram from the socket
333 If a datagram server connects
334 to its peer, freeing the socket so
336 can receive further messages on the socket, it is said to be
340 it should read one datagram from the socket and create a new socket
341 connected to the peer.
342 It should fork, and the parent should then exit
345 to check for new service requests to spawn new servers.
346 Datagram servers which process all incoming datagrams
347 on a socket and eventually time out are said to be
348 .Dq single-threaded .
353 are both examples of the latter type of
356 is an example of a multi-threaded datagram server.
358 Servers using stream sockets generally are multi-threaded and
362 Connection requests for these services are accepted by
364 and the server is given only the newly-accepted socket connected
365 to a client of the service.
366 Most stream-based services operate in this manner.
367 Stream-based servers that use
369 are started with the listening service socket, and must accept
370 at least one connection request before exiting.
371 Such a server would normally accept and process incoming connection
372 requests until a timeout.
373 TCPMUX services must use
376 The maximum number of outstanding child processes (or
380 service may be explicitly specified by appending a
382 followed by the number to the
386 (or if a value of zero is specified) there is no maximum.
388 once the maximum is reached, further connection attempts will be
389 queued up until an existing child process exits.
393 mode, although a value other than one (the
394 default) might not make sense in some cases.
395 You can also specify the maximum number of connections per minute
396 for a given IP address by appending
399 followed by the number to the maximum number of
400 outstanding child processes.
401 Once the maximum is reached, further
402 connections from this IP address will be dropped until the end of the
404 In addition, you can specify the maximum number of simultaneous
405 invocations of each service from a single IP address by appending a
407 followed by the number to the maximum number of outstanding child
408 processes. Once the maximum is reached, further connections from this
409 IP address will be dropped.
413 entry should contain the user name of the user as whom the server
414 should run. This allows for servers to be given less permission
420 allows to specify group name different
421 than default group for this user.
426 allows to specify login class different
433 entry should contain the pathname of the program which is to be
436 when a request is found on its socket. If
438 provides this service internally, this entry should
443 .Em server program arguments
444 should be just as arguments
445 normally are, starting with argv[0], which is the name of
446 the program. If the service is provided internally, the
448 of the service (and any arguments to it) or the word
450 should take the place of this entry.
452 Currently, the only internal service to take arguments is
454 Without options, the service will always return
455 .Dq ERROR\ : HIDDEN-USER .
456 The available arguments to this service that alter its behavior are:
457 .Bl -tag -width indent
467 option discussed below),
468 return this username instead of an error
470 for either socket credentials or the username.
474 return this username for every request.
475 This is primarily useful when running this service on a NAT machine.
478 the user's name to the ident requester,
480 username made up of random alphanumeric characters,
485 flag overrides not only the user names,
486 but also any fallback name,
492 .Ar sec Ns Op . Ns Ar usec
494 Specify a timeout for the service.
495 The default timeout is 10.0 seconds.
499 service, as per RFC 1413.
500 All the remaining flags apply only in this case.
502 Return numeric user IDs instead of usernames.
506 exists in the home directory of the identified user, report the username
507 found in that file instead of the real username.
508 If the username found in
510 is that of an existing user,
511 then the real username is reported.
514 flag is also given then the username in
516 is checked against existing user IDs instead.
520 but without the restriction that the username in
522 must not match an existing user.
526 exists in the home directory of the identified user, return
527 .Dq ERROR\ : HIDDEN-USER .
530 file which might exist.
534 instead of the name of the system as reported by
540 utility also provides several other
542 services internally by use of
543 routines within itself. These services are
547 (character generator),
549 (human readable time), and
551 (machine readable time, in the form of the number of seconds since
552 midnight, January 1, 1900). All of these services are available in
553 both TCP and UDP versions; the UDP versions will refuse service if the
554 request specifies a reply port corresponding to any internal service.
555 (This is done as a defense against looping attacks; the remote IP address
557 For details of these services, consult the
562 The TCPMUX-demultiplexing service is also implemented as an internal service.
563 For any TCPMUX-based service to function, the following line must be included
566 .Bd -literal -offset indent
567 tcpmux stream tcp nowait root internal
574 will log an entry to syslog each time a connection is accepted, noting the
575 service selected and the IP-number of the remote requester if available.
576 Unless otherwise specified in the configuration file,
577 and in the absence of the
589 utility rereads its configuration file when it receives a hangup signal,
591 Services may be added, deleted or modified when the configuration file
593 Except when started in debugging mode,
595 records its process ID in the file
596 .Pa /var/run/inetd.pid
597 to assist in reconfiguration.
598 .Sh IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
604 will wrap all services specified as
613 option is given, such
615 services will be wrapped.
616 If both options are given, wrapping for both
617 internal and external services will be enabled.
618 Either wrapping option
619 will cause failed connections to be logged to the
624 flag to the wrapping options will include successful connections in the
631 only wraps requests for a
633 service while no servers are available to service requests.
635 connection to such a service has been allowed,
638 over subsequent connections to the service until no more servers
639 are left listening for connection requests.
641 When wrapping is enabled, the
643 daemon is not required, as that functionality is builtin.
644 For more information on TCP Wrappers, see the relevant documentation
645 .Pq Xr hosts_access 5 .
646 When reading that document, keep in mind that
648 services have no associated daemon name.
649 Therefore, the service name
652 should be used as the daemon name for
657 describes the TCPMUX protocol:
658 ``A TCP client connects to a foreign host on TCP port 1. It sends the
659 service name followed by a carriage-return line-feed <CRLF>. The
660 service name is never case sensitive. The server replies with a
661 single character indicating positive (+) or negative (\-)
662 acknowledgment, immediately followed by an optional message of
663 explanation, terminated with a <CRLF>. If the reply was positive,
664 the selected protocol begins; otherwise the connection is closed.''
665 The program is passed the TCP connection as file descriptors 0 and 1.
667 If the TCPMUX service name begins with a
670 returns the positive reply for the program.
671 This allows you to invoke programs that use stdin/stdout
672 without putting any special server code in them.
674 The special service name
678 to list TCPMUX services in
681 The implementation includes a tiny hack
682 to support IPsec policy settings for each socket.
683 A special form of comment line, starting with
685 is interpreted as a policy specifier.
688 will be used as an IPsec policy string,
690 .Xr ipsec_set_policy 3 .
692 policy specifier is applied to all the following lines in
694 until the next policy specifier.
695 An empty policy specifier resets the IPsec policy.
697 If an invalid IPsec policy specifier appears in
700 will provide an error message via the
702 interface and abort execution.
703 .Ss Ux Domain Sockets
704 In addition to running services on IP sockets,
709 To do this you specify a
723 The specification of the socket must be
724 an absolute path name,
725 optionally prefixed by an owner and mode
727 .Em :user:group:mode: .
730 .Dl ":news:daemon:220:/var/run/sock"
732 creates a socket owned
737 with permissions allowing only that user and group to connect.
738 The default owner is the user that
741 The default mode only allows the socket's owner to connect.
748 must change the ownership and permissions on the socket.
749 This can only be done securely if
750 the directory in which the socket is created
751 is writable only by root.
756 to create sockets in world writable directories,
761 or a similar directory.
763 Internal services may be run on
765 domain sockets, in the usual way.
767 the name of the internal service
769 the last component of the socket's pathname.
771 .Bl -tag -width /var/run/inetd.pid -compact
772 .It Pa /etc/inetd.conf
775 translation of service names to RPC program numbers
777 translation of service names to port numbers
778 .It Pa /var/run/inetd.pid
779 the pid of the currently running
783 Here are several example service entries for the various types of services:
785 ftp stream tcp nowait root /usr/libexec/ftpd ftpd -l
786 ntalk dgram udp wait root /usr/libexec/ntalkd ntalkd
787 telnet stream tcp6 nowait root /usr/libexec/telnetd telnetd
788 shell stream tcp46 nowait root /usr/libexec/rshd rshd
789 tcpmux/+date stream tcp nowait guest /bin/date date
790 tcpmux/phonebook stream tcp nowait guest /usr/local/bin/phonebook phonebook
791 rstatd/1-3 dgram rpc/udp wait root /usr/libexec/rpc.rstatd rpc.rstatd
792 /var/run/echo stream unix nowait root internal
794 chargen stream tcp nowait root internal
801 logs error messages using
803 Important error messages and their explanations are:
807 .Ar service Ns / Ns Ar protocol
808 .No "server failing (looping), service terminated."
810 The number of requests for the specified service in the past minute
812 The limit exists to prevent a broken program
813 or a malicious user from swamping the system.
814 This message may occur for several reasons:
815 .Bl -enum -offset indent
817 There are many hosts requesting the service within a short time period.
819 A broken client program is requesting the service too frequently.
821 A malicious user is running a program to invoke the service in
822 a denial-of-service attack.
824 The invoked service program has an error that causes clients
831 as described above, to change the rate limit.
832 Once the limit is reached, the service will be
833 reenabled automatically in 10 minutes.
836 .Ar service Ns / Ns Ar protocol :
842 .Ar service Ns / Ns Ar protocol :
855 (re)reads the configuration file.
856 The second message occurs when the
869 The user or group ID for the entry's
873 .It "setsockopt(SO_PRIVSTATE): Operation not supported"
876 utility attempted to renounce the privileged state associated with a
877 socket but was unable to.
880 .Xr ipsec_set_policy 3 ,
882 .Xr hosts_options 5 ,
896 .%A Michael C. St. Johns
897 .%T Identification Protocol
905 TCPMUX is based on code and documentation by Mark Lottor.
908 based services is modeled after that
912 The IPsec hack was contributed by the KAME project in 1999.
915 TCP Wrappers support first appeared in