WinCVS directory based access control problem solved

[Infoman: Martin Kretschmar]

Hello,

the reason for the reported problems of WinCVS and directory
based access control has been found. Since CVS is a normal
no-suid program, no Linux file protecions were circumvented
at any time.

The problem results from the interpretation of the CVS/Root
files. The contain a single line "address@hidden:/data/cvshome".

>From within Linux it is no problem to checkout as "user1" and
to commit as "user2" and vice versa, except for the wanted
forbidden commit for "user2":

  With a previous checkout into a directory of "user1":

    cvs -d ":ext:address@hidden:/data/cvshome" LibSub.htm
    address@hidden's password:
    Checking in LibSub.htm;
    /data/cvshome/GP/LibSub/LibSub.htm,v  <--  LibSub.htm
    new revision: 1.22; previous revision: 1.21
    done

    cvs -d ":ext:address@hidden:/data/cvshome" LibSub.htm
    address@hidden's password:
    Checking in LibSub.htm;
    /data/cvshome/GP/LibSub/LibSub.htm,v  <--  LibSub.htm
    new revision: 1.23; previous revision: 1.22
    cvs [server aborted]: could not open lock file
      `/data/cvshome/GP/LibSub/,LibSub.htm,': Permission denied´

  With a previous checkout into a directory of "user2":

    cvs -d ":ext:address@hidden:/data/cvshome" LibSub.htm
    address@hidden's password:
    Checking in LibSub.htm;
    /data/cvshome/GP/LibSub/LibSub.htm,v  <--  LibSub.htm
    new revision: 1.23; previous revision: 1.22
    cvs [server aborted]: could not open lock file
      `/data/cvshome/GP/LibSub/,LibSub.htm,': Permission denied

    cvs -d ":ext:address@hidden:/data/cvshome" LibSub.htm
    address@hidden's password:
    Checking in LibSub.htm;
    /data/cvshome/GP/LibSub/LibSub.htm,v  <--  LibSub.htm
    new revision: 1.23; previous revision: 1.22
    done

However WinCVS uses the contents of CVS/Root for further
accesses of the repository after a checkout. Changing
the proper CVS/Root file "helps", even with an active
WinCVS.

Regards,
          Martin Kretschmar