Wireshark · Wireshark-dev: Re: [Wireshark-dev] [Fwd: [Wireshark-bugs] [Bug 1741] New: Privilege separation patch]

[Richard van der Hoff <richardv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gerald Combs wrote:
> That's exactly the problem I'm trying to solve.  Ever since the initial
> release, the standard practice for capturing on Unix/Linux systems has
> included the step "start Wireshark (or Ethereal) as root."  Our own
> User's Guide tells you to run Wireshark as root.  There's a Wireshark
> launcher for OS X that fires up X11 and runs Wireshark as root.  This
> practice is wrong, and it must stop.
>
> Just to be clear: *This patch does not run Wireshark as root*.  Just the
> opposite, in fact.  If Wireshark catches you running it as root, it
> drops privileges *immediately*.

Personally, I'd much prefer a popup that I can dismiss than wireshark 
meddling with my users/groups and dropping privileges.

I very much applaud the general sentiment of not having people running 
wireshark as root, however.