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The “/tmp” directory

In computing, a temporary folder or temporary directory is a directory used to hold temporary files. Many operating systems and some software automatically delete the contents of this directory at bootup or at regular intervals. For security reasons, it is best for each user to have his own temporary directory, since there has been a history of security vulnerabilities with temporary files due to programs incorrect file permissions or race conditions. A standard procedure for system administration is to reduce the amount of storage space used (typically, on a disk drive) by removing temporary files. In multi-user systems, this can potentially remove active files, disrupting users’ activities. To avoid this, some space-reclaiming procedures remove only files which are inactive or “old,” those which have not been read or modified in several days.

The “/tmp” directory is a special directory that is required to be writable by all users and processes on the system. In general, directories that are writable by all users and processes are cause for security concern, however this directory is a special case. To minimize any security impact as a result of having an unsecured “/tmp” directory, it is recommended that “/tmp” be mounted on a separate partition in order to take advantage of the “no exec” option available under both Linux and FreeBSD. If a separate mount point exists for “/tmp”, then the installer will verify and potentially remount the partition with the “no exec” option. Additionally, the installer will ensure that the sticky bit is set on the directory and that the other permissions are correct. If “/tmp” is not mounted on a separate partition, the installer will create a file system disk image of 512 Mb and mount “/tmp” on the newly created disk image with the “no exec” directive. Under most circumstances, 512 Mb is sufficient for the “/tmp” partition; however, your system may require additional space. It is therefore recommended that you include a separate partition for the “/tmp” mount point (sized according to your size specification).

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