[MUD-Dev] Scripting languages

[Lars Duening]

On Monday, June 30, 2003, at 11:07 PM, Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes wrote:
> Mon, Jun 30, 2003 at 11:39:06AM -0600 in
> <BF6C3010-AB21-11D7-B4CF-0003938094E8 at bearnip.com>, Lars Duening
> <lars at bearnip.com> spake:
>> On Sunday, June 29, 2003, at 04:11 AM, Mark 'Kamikaze' Hughes wrote:

>>> There are security and malware questions in using *any*
>>> general-purpose programming language for scripting; if you can't
>>> violate security or create an infinite loop within the language
>>> proper, you can overrun buffers, or find some other abuse.
>>> There have been known security holes in Lua, as well.  And on
>>> the gripping hand, it doesn't matter, because the only people
>>> you'll normally allow to write full scripting code *are* trusted
>>> admins.  The MUDs where this is not the case are fairly unusual,
>>> and already have their own scripting languages.

>> Which of course is another reason as to why a Mud authors might
>> want to implement their own scripting languages (and I wouldn't
>> call the LP/MOO muds 'unusual').

> All of the LPMuds I've played on only allowed wizards to edit
> anything.

Considering that most wizards are recruited from the playerbase,
they are untrusted admins at best.

> If you don't trust someone, my first instinct is to not give them
> scripting access.  If you do give them scripting access, they can
> break your system if they so choose.  Making a custom language
> won't stop that.  Only social solutions will work.

*nod* But a custom language implementation can help enforcing the
social solutions by raising the bar for wannabe crackers and
limiting the possible damage.

--
Lars Duening; lars at bearnip.com
GPG Key: http://www.bearnip.com/lars/lars-duening.gpgkey
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