The message below was forwarded to

[cassim]

The message below was forwarded to me by a colleague.
Does anyone have a fix for this?


I was just running through my machines checking to make sure they had
all been changed
so that direct root login isn't allowed except on the console. I
noticed an interesting thing
with Solaris 2.5 & Sol 8, if I attempt a login as root, either with the
correct password or with an
incorrect password, I get the same message:

UNIX(r) System V Release 4.0 (nodename)

login: root
Password:
Not on system console
Connection closed by foreign host.

BUT, if I do the same on Solaris 2.6 and 7, I only get this message if I
supply the correct
root password. If I supply the incorrect password, I get another prompt
for username:

SunOS 5.6

login: root
Password:
Login incorrect
login: root
Password:
Not on system console
Connection closed by foreign host.

Has anyone else ever noticed this?
Is this perhaps a bug?
Is there a cure?

 

[crowe]

it is by design that this happens. It is a security feature that allows/dis-allows the root user to login remotely. You can administer this feature by editing the /etc/default/login file.

crowe

 

[harris79]

I always assumed it was a security feature in 7 & 8, that wasn't in 2.6.

2.6 effectively confirms the password is correct or not.
but 7 & 8 don't. However I didn't know about 2.5.

So I guess it's a bug.

Steve