Very Computer

I have a linux system in my house lan connected to my other computer
running windows95 and connected PPP to the internet with a static IP.
From time to time I can't login as "root" from the other computer in the
lan or the same happens if I try to login telneting from a remote
location. After a few hours or sometime a day or two I can login as
"root" again from the lan or telnet. I can login at any time as a
regular user. Only the "root" has the temporary login problem.
Does anyone know what's the problem?
                          Thanks,
                           Rafael.

check the  /etc/securetty  file.  This allows more than one ttyp?
connection to your system for ROOT.   But remember adding more  ttyp?
entries....  "could" be a security violation....

that's where I'd look ;)

hope that helps.....

Steve

Quote:>I have a linux system in my house lan connected to my other computer
>running windows95 and connected PPP to the internet with a static IP.
>From time to time I can't login as "root" from the other computer in the
>lan or the same happens if I try to login telneting from a remote
>location. After a few hours or sometime a day or two I can login as
>"root" again from the lan or telnet. I can login at any time as a
>regular user. Only the "root" has the temporary login problem.
>Does anyone know what's the problem?
>                          Thanks,
>                           Rafael.

[help! I can't remotely login as root!]

It's a feature (and ought to be a FAQ).

/etc/securetty lists the consoles where root may log in directly; it can't
be done from other locations. The `correct' workaround is to login as a
normal user, then su to root. If you're completely certain your network
(the one in your home) is physically secure, you may be able to simply add
a few of the `telnet' consoles to securetty.

....dave

----- David E. Smith, P O Box 324, Cape Girardeau MO 63702

"[Criminals]... have computers and many other weapons of mass destruction"
 -- Atty General Janet Reno... so, can I drop my 486 on Hiroshima?

Log in as an ordinary user and use "su".

Quote:> /etc/securetty lists the consoles where root may log in directly; it can't
> be done from other locations. The `correct' workaround is to login as a
> normal user, then su to root. If you're completely certain your network
> (the one in your home) is physically secure, you may be able to simply add
> a few of the `telnet' consoles to securetty.

permission : users : origins

People can be limited to only coming from certain IP addresses,  or only
certain hosts,  or only certain TTYs.  Of course,  these could be
sucseptible to spoofing,  depending on the nature of your network.  The
version of Login that came with Slackware 3.2 supports this.

--
m/lamber45\100(egr|pilot)\.msu\.edu/ and print <<MHM16x20
David Lee Lambert -- Just another perl hacker
webstuph at http://web.egr.msu.edu/~lamber45
MHM16x20