Postfix manual - nbdb_reindexd(8)

    NBDB_REINDEXD(8)                                              NBDB_REINDEXD(8)

    NAME
           nbdb_reindexd - Postfix non-Berkeley-DB migration

    SYNOPSIS
           nbdb_reindexd [generic Postfix daemon options]

    DESCRIPTION
           NOTE:  This service should be enabled only temporarily to generate most
           of the non-Berkeley-DB indexed files that Postfix needs.  Leaving  this
           service  enabled may expose the system to privilege-escalation attacks.

           The nbdb_reindexd(8) server handles requests to generate  a  non-Berke-
           ley-DB  indexed  database  file  for  an  existing Berkeley DB database
           (example: "hash:/path/to/file" or "btree:/path/to/file"). It implements
           the  service  by  running  the  postmap(1) or postalias(1) command with
           appropriate privileges.

           The service reports a success status when the  non-Berkeley-DB  indexed
           file  already  exists.  This  can happen when multiple clients make the
           same request. When one request is completed successfully,  the  service
           also reports success for the other requests.

           This service enforces the following safety policy:

           o      The  legacy  Berkeley DB indexed file must exist (file name ends
                  in ".db"). The nbdb_reindexd(8) service  will  use  the  owner"s
                  (uid,  gid)  of  this  file,  when it runs postmap(1) or postal-
                  ias(1). It also uses the (uid,gid) for a number of safety checks
                  as described next.

           o      The  non-indexed source file must exist (file name without ".db"
                  suffix). This file is needed as input for postmap(1) or  postal-
                  ias(1).  The  file  must be owned by "root" or by the above uid,
                  and must not allow "group" or "other" write access.

           o      The parent directory must be owned by "root"  or  by  the  above
                  uid, and it must not allow "group" or "other" write access.

           o      Additionally, the "non_bdb_migration_allow_root_prefixes" param-
                  eter limits the source file directory prefixes that are  allowed
                  when  this  service needs to run postmap(1) or postalias(1) with
                  "root" privileges.

           o      A  similar  parameter,  "non_bdb_migration_allow_user_prefixes",
                  limits  the source file directory prefixes that are allowed when
                  this service needs to  run  postmap(1)  or  postalias(1)  as  an
                  unprivileged user.

    SECURITY
           The nbdb_reindexd(8) server is security sensitive.  It accepts requests
           only from processes that can access sockets under $queue_directory/pri-
           vate  (i.e.,  processes  that run with "root" or "mail_owner" (usually,
           postfix) privileges).

           The threat is therefore a corrupted Postfix daemon process  that  wants
           to  elevate privileges, by sending requests with crafted pathnames, and
           racing against the service by quickly swapping  files  or  directories,
           hoping  that Postfix will be tricked to overwrite a sensitive file with
           attacker-controlled data.

           When the service runs postmap(1) or postalias(1) as "root", such racing
           attacks should not be possible if non_bdb_migration_allow_root_prefixes
           specifies only prefixes that are already trusted.

           This service could block all requests with crafted pathnames, if  given
           complete  information  about  all  lookup  tables  that  are referenced
           through Postfix configuration files. Unfortunately that information was
           not available at the time that this program was needed.

    DIAGNOSTICS
           Problems  and  transactions are logged to syslogd(8) or postlogd(8). If
           an attempt to create an index file fails, this service will attempt  to
           delete the incomplete file.

    CONFIGURATION PARAMETERS
           Changes to main.cf are not picked up automatically, as nbdb_reindexd(8)
           processes are long-lived. Use the command "postfix reload" after a con-
           figuration change.

           The  text  below provides only a parameter summary. See postconf(5) for
           more details including examples.

    SERVICE-SPECIFIC CONTROLS
           non_bdb_migration_level (disable)
                  The non-Berkeley-DB migration service level.

           non_bdb_migration_allow_root_prefixes (see 'postconf -d  non_bdb_migra-
           tion_allow_root_prefixes' output)
                  A list of trusted pathname prefixes that must  be  matched  when
                  the  non-Berkeley-DB  migration service (nbdb_reindexd(8)) needs
                  to run postmap(1) or postalias(1) commands  with  "root"  privi-
                  lege.

           non_bdb_migration_allow_user_prefixes  (see 'postconf -d non_bdb_migra-
           tion_allow_user_prefixes' output)
                  A  list  of  trusted pathname prefixes that must be matched when
                  the non-Berkeley-DB migration service  (nbdb_reindexd(8))  needs
                  to  run postmap(1) or postalias(1) commands with non-root privi-
                  lege.

    MISCELLANEOUS CONTROLS
           config_directory (see 'postconf -d' output)
                  The default location of the Postfix main.cf and  master.cf  con-
                  figuration files.

           process_id (read-only)
                  The process ID of a Postfix command or daemon process.

           process_name (read-only)
                  The process name of a Postfix command or daemon process.

           syslog_facility (mail)
                  The syslog facility of Postfix logging.

           syslog_name (see 'postconf -d' output)
                  A  prefix  that  is  prepended  to  the  process  name in syslog
                  records, so that, for example, "smtpd" becomes "prefix/smtpd".

           service_name (read-only)
                  The master.cf service name of a Postfix daemon process.

    SEE ALSO
           postfix-non-bdb(1), migration management
           postconf(5), configuration parameters
           postlogd(8), Postfix logging
           syslogd(8), system logging

    README FILES
           NON_BERKELEYDB_README, Non-Berkeley-DB migration guide

    LICENSE
           The Secure Mailer license must be distributed with this software.

    HISTORY
           This service was introduced with Postfix version 3.11.

    AUTHOR(S)
           Wietse Venema
           porcupine.org

                                                                  NBDB_REINDEXD(8)