Why is the xhost program considered dangerous to use?

Why is the xhost program considered dangerous to use?
A . It makes it difficult to uniquely identify a computer on the network.
B . It allows easy access to your X server by other users.
C . It logs sensitive information to syslog.
D . It makes your computer share network resources without any authentication.
E . It is a graphical DNS tool with known exploits.

View Answer

Answer: B

Explanation:

The xhost program is used to add and delete host names or user names to the list allowed to make connections to the X server1. In the case of hosts, this provides a rudimentary form of privacy control and security. It is only sufficient for a workstation (single user) environment, although it does limit the worst abuses1. However, if xhost is used to grant access to everyone, even if they aren’t on the list (i.e., access control is turned off), then any user on the network can connect to your X server and monitor your keystrokes, capture your screen, or run malicious programs2. This is why xhost is considered dangerous to use and should be avoided in favor of more secure methods, such as xauth or ssh23.

Reference: xhost linux command man page – commandlinux.com Linux Xhost Command Help and Examples – Computer Hope xhost(1) ― Arch manual pages