Logging In on Multiple Consoles

[Janina Sajka]

I don't see much in the way of a security issue when I pull my Thinkpad
out of its case, plug it up, and boot.

I'm certainly not for writing passwords in the clear, so unless expect
can manage them encrypted, that won't work either, just for that
security reason.

Toby Fisher writes:
> From: Toby Fisher <toby at tjfisher.co.uk>
> 
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> On Thu, 2 Jan 2003, Janina Sajka wrote:
> 
> > OK, both Bill and Toby said they log onto multiple consoles when they
> > boot. I do the same thing. In fact, I have set habits about it, e.g.
> > every odd numbered console is a janina login, every even numbered one is
> > a root login, console F1 is mail, etc., etc.
> 
> Yeah, me too, I like set things on set consoles.
> 
> > So, the problem is that this is boring. Is there a way to cause the
> > system to come up with these consoles already logged in and open? Yes,
> > one can get fast at logging in, but why do it unless necessary?
> 
> Um, surely this is obvious?
> If someone gets physical access to your machine, they could do anything,
> abosultely anything, and you'd have no way to trace it, except that things
> had happened that you hadn't instigated.  Personally I'd be very wary of
> doing such a thing.  However, I suppose you could use expect to run your
> log-ins for you, but hmmm, that's not secure either as your passwords are
> then written down on the system.
> 
> > PS: On my desktops I no longer shutdown, so this isn't much of an issue.
> > Instead, I just vlock -a
> 
> Hmmm, sounds like that may be worth a look, though I tinker too much for
> that really, my system typically gets a reboot on average about every 3 or
> 4 days.
> 
> Cheers.
> 
> - -- 
> Toby Fisher	Email: toby at tjfisher.co.uk
> Tel.: +44(0)1480 417272	Mobile: +44(0)7974 363239
> ICQ: #61744808
>    Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments.
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> 
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-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina at afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175