in reply to Windows Service Pack Information

Are the client machines in a secure network? If so, can you have the rsh service enabled on them?

If so, you could do something like: 

my %configs;
for my $host ( @hosts ) {
    %configs{ $host } = qx[ rsh $host -l user -n srvinfo];
}

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Re^2: Windows Service Pack Information
by Fletch (Bishop) on Apr 17, 2008 at 20:45 UTC

    If you have rsh enabled on it then I'd think most security types would say that by definition don't have a secure network . . . :)

    (Seriously there's better alternatives (such as ssh as was recommended elsewhere in the thread) that aren't gaping vulnerabilities begging to be exploited (they're smaller potential vulnerabilities which under active attack and countermeasure development :).)

    The cake is a lie.
    The cake is a lie.
    The cake is a lie.

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        You mean that the Windows version actually bases its authentication on something more robust than the source IP, a low port number, and who you claim to be and that it doesn't send potentially sensitive traffic over the wire in the clear?

        Update: And as for being part of the OS, this and some other googling seem to indicate that it's not a part of the stock install and only available as part of the Services for UNIX add-on (Vista and on at least). If you've got to install something, then again it's better to install something that's not a gaping hole than the gaping hole that's on the second install CD.

        Update: And this isn't just run-of-the-mill anti-Windows bigotry, it's that any installation of any of the ancient r-programs is an invitation to fail.

        (Not that the sheer Wintendo-try in that they don't ship anything better by default isn't just icing on the cake, mind you. :)

        The cake is a lie.
        The cake is a lie.
        The cake is a lie.

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