.TH BL 4
.CT 2 file_io file_inq_creat
.SH NAME
bl \- blind directory file system
.SH DESCRIPTION
A directory, blinded by
.IR blmount (8),
is identical in most respects with an ordinary
directory except that it cannot be examined by
.I read 
or
.IR stat (2)
and names of newly created entries in the directory are assigned randomly
by the kernel, in response to
.I creat,
.I mknod,
.I mkdir,
.I symlink,
and
.IR link (2)
system calls.
In the case of
.I creat,
if the name requested by the user matches an already existing file
in the directory, the name is not randomized.
The randomized name of a newly created directory entry
may be found with
.IR bcreat ;
see
.IR creat (2).
.LP
Names are randomized in the blind directory only;
names of files properly below the directory are not mangled.
.LP
User processes may put temporary files in a blind directory
to avoid possible violations of security policy by
observing file names.
.SH SEE ALSO
.IR creat (2), 
.IR mkunique (3), 
.IR blmount (8)