Binary package hint: samba
Using Gutsy (7.10), the default SAMBA configuration (in /etc/samba/smb.conf) allows guest (non-authenticated) logins to a share. This effectively means that, by default, all shares configured using the limited GUI tool are world-readable. As this behavior is not indicated nor expected, and the resulting ports are now open to all users, this is a security problem (in the sense of privacy and unintentional exposure of data, not having the system taken over). Use of smbpasswd, etc., control access using the terminal (e.g., smbclient), but the Nautilus "Places -> Network" feature does not authenticate (see bug #119774, https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/gnome-vfs2/+bug/119774). The user accounts and passwords still dictate who has write access to the shares via Nautilus, but not read. Moreover, it is not apparent which combination of "security" and "guest" settings in smb.conf are necessary to lock out the guest account. I'm not certain if this was an issue in prior releases.
Steps to replicate:
1. Configure computer A to have a SAMBA shared folder, using System -> Administration -> Shared Folders
2. On computer B, using Places -> Network, browse to or enter the address of Computer A's share
3. Note that, without authenticating (possibly without even setting up a SAMBA user account using smbpasswd), all files in the share are readable, but not writable.
> Using Gutsy (7.10), the default SAMBA configuration (in /etc/samba/
Actually, no, it doesn't. By default, all samba shares are available only to authenticated users; changing this default requires explicitly setting 'guest ok = yes' (or 'public = yes') in smb.conf.
This is a bug in shares-admin, which explicitly marks all shares as guest-accessible. Reassigning to gnome-system-tools.