Daily insecurity report - group name with more than 8 characters

[John Wright <john_(_at_)_dryfish_(_dot_)_org>]

> Checking the /etc/group file:                                             
> Group directors has more than 8 characters.                               
> Group reception has more than 8 characters.                               
> Group contracts has more than 8 characters.                               

What's the deal with group names longer than 8 characters?  I know that ls
truncates to 8 characters -- is it that other programs may also make the
assumption and so a buffer overrun might be caused or something along those
lines?  Is there something in the OpenBSD system that also makes that
assumption?