Allow multiple filename extensions?

[mikea]

On Fri, Jul 11, 2003 at 09:58:13AM -0400, Tom Combs wrote:
> Hello,
>
>   I'm not clear on the need for denying multiple filename extensions.
>   It seems if an attachment contained a virus, it would be checked by
>   the virus scanner and either caught or cleared regardless of the
>   extension.  Does having multiply filename extensions somehow
>   circumvent this process?
>
>   I'm considering dropping this ruleset:
>
> deny    \.[a-z][a-z0-9]{2,3}\s*\.[a-z0-9]{3}$   Found possible filename hiding
>                         Attempt to hide real filename extension
>
>
>   Is this a mistake?

I had to drop it at the day job, where we have lots of people sending
in files with names like IH35.Moore.C03-192045.wpd. Each piece of
that filename has meaning, and it's much less inconvenient to accept
the mild risk of passing multocomponent filenames than it is to force
the users to adhere to 8.3 names -- if I could even try to do so. I
know from 25 years here that any attempt to force that would be doomed
to spectacular failure.

But each installation is different, and others may differ with either
or both of us.

--
Mike Andrews
mikea at mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin since 1964