Binaries and Linux

[WombatMaster]

Morning all, at least where I am.

Quick question for a newbie as it were. Is it possible in any way, shape, or remote fashion to run a binary program from within Linux or KDE simply by double clicking on it?

For example, if I install Google Earth in SuSE 10.2, and go to the .bin file for it, and double click it, usually, Linux will pop up a window that is akin to windows not recognizing the file and asks what to do with it. No matter what I do, I cannot execute the .bin with a simple double click. KDE and Linux specifically, will not accept it.

Now in my experience, you need either a symbolic link to create an icon on the desktop that you can double click to execute the program, or you need to go into BASH to execute it. Some RPMs will run an install that will do all of this for you, but as far as I am aware, even then, it needs root access in order to proceed with the Install.

However, if I go into any folder, and try and execute a .bin file by double clicking it, it will not go. Now in my mind, this is a security feature of Linux. However, if double click execution of a .bin file is possible, I'd seriously like to know how.

Hope I have made sense. Thanks for everyones time.

[bigtomrodney]

It is a security feature, you're right. Some distros do enable it. If you set the permission as executable (right click > properties > security >executable) it should work, or failing that associate with the program sh. A better way would be to make a shortcut or simply install it to somewhere in your $PATH such as /usr/bin/

[WombatMaster]

That being born in mind then, is it possible for Linux to be infected or compromised by a binary file being downloaded and double clicked then?

Obviously, the Distro of SuSE disables this by default, as do others. But is it still possible from a security standpoint? Could the file already have permissions "Pre-Set" ?

Basically, I'm trying to lockdown a system to be as secure as possible while still being able to do what I want to do.

For example, if I download a .bin file from somewhere, my knowledge is that normally you have to install it from an RPM or a tarball, or for some distros use apt-get. Put simply, from my knowledge, you CANNOT just download a random .bin and then double click it and have it execute like you can in Windows with a .exe file. This is one of the things that safeguards Linux and makes it so much more secure against an average end user with no clue. The Majority of Windows Infections comes from EXEs that install either viruses or Spyware. You also have issues with Active X and Holes in the OS as well vs Linux. Linux in general does not allow these to occur from a default install of say SuSE. Using Active X as an example, as far as I am aware, Linux doesn't even use this in it's browsers for say, Konqueror for example.

Even then, when installing an RPM or tarball these require permission and a password to be entered to gain root access from my knowledge. Granted, you can sudo as well.

So can anything just be downloaded and instantly bypass all of your security? and if so, how difficult is it and how can one safeguard against it other then download from a trusted source etc?

[gogalthorp]

You must give a binary files permissions to execute before you can run it. If the owner is the user he/she can give the permission but the binary can only effect files of that owner ie it would not have permission to change any critical system files or even other users files. This would require root permissions. In theory it might be possible to trick the user to enter the root password. But it would only trick the naive user. It is best that a naive user not have root access.