To provide good real-time response, artsd is usually run as a
real-time process (on platforms where real-time priorities are
supported). This requires root
permissions, so to minimize the security implications, artsd can be
started using the small wrapper program artswrapper which simply sets
real-time priority (running as root
) and then executes artsd as a
non-root
user.
If you make artswrapper SUID root
, it will likely improve the quality
of your audio playback by reducing gaps in the music. However, it
also increases the risk that a bug in the code or a malicious user can
crash or otherwise harm your machine. In addition, on multi-user
machines, prioritizing high-quality audio may result in deteriorated
performance for the users who are trying to make
“productive” use of the machine.
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