Re: deleting content of /tmp
On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:27:45 +0000
andy <geek_show@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
> Raquel wrote:
> > On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 16:12:10 -0300
> > "Jorge Peixoto de Morais Neto" <please.no.spam.here@gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >>> Can someone advise me on the pros and cons of deleting the
> >>> contents of /tmp/ as part of general security conscious
> >>> non-paranoia.
> >>>
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> >
> >> >From the FHS:
> >>
> >> tmp : Temporary files
> >>
> >> Purpose
> >>
> >> The /tmp directory must be made available for programs that
> >> require temporary files.
> >>
> >>
> >
> > <snip>
> >
> >
> >> So it is safe to delete /tmp when you know that no running
> >> programs are using any file there. You can delete /tmp in the
> >> beginning of the boot process, as the FHS itself suggests. I
> >think > this already happens automatically on Debian, but I'm not
> >sure. > --
> >>
> >>
> >
> > Several years ago I was using RedHat. It had a crontab which
> > daily deleted any files in /tmp which were over a certain age.
> >
> > I have difficulty believing that any programs would hold onto
> > any files that are a month old or possibly even a week old ...
> > for a machine which does not reboot.
> >
> >
> Thank you all for your comments in response to my question.
>
> I tend to leave the machine running, but am the only user. I tend
> to default to the Gnome wm altho' do use XFce4 from time-to-time.
> For a machine that has an uptime of 6 days having a handful of
> some 23 items in the /tmp is not excessive, so is probably erased
> on shut down or boot up. This question of course could be
> answered by simply making a habit of shutting down regularly,
> which would be better on the environment too.
>
> Thanks all
>
I use the following in my crontab. It gets rid of anything over a
week old.
# Remove old cache files
10 00 * * * find /tmp -type f -mtime +6 | xargs rm
--
Raquel
============================================================
The Christian resolve to find the world evil and ugly, has made the
world evil and ugly.
--Friedrich Nietzsche
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