PATH and security

security Do not put the working directory first in PATH when security is a concern. If you are working as root, you should never put the working directory first in PATH. It is common for root’s PATH to omit the working directory entirely. You can always execute a file in the working directory by prepending ./ to the name: ./ls.

Putting the working directory first in PATH can create a security hole. Most people type ls as the
first command when entering a directory. If the owner of a directory places an executable file
named ls in the directory, and the working directory appears first in a user’s PATH, the user giving
an ls command from the directory executes the ls program in the working directory instead of the
system ls utility, possibly with undesirable results.