how to configure telnet in RHEL4 that allow root user to login remotely.bydefault it disable due to security purpose.

Before you do this understand the reason behind the configuration. As soon as you telnet (or ftp), everyone between you and the destination machine knows your password. Your root password is exposed; you might as well post it in the telephone booth at the local pub. Your machine is fully compromised.

Most people don't realize that they actually want to use ssh/sftp/scp/rsync instead for login and file transfer. Telnet and ftp are "legacy" protocols, and should only be used where anonymous login is acceptable (like a public access server).

Even then, direct root login is prohibited by default. Requiring a second level of password is prudent, even communicating machine to machine in your home, to compartmentalize risk from a compromised machine. For specific commands, you can allow a non-root user to use sudo.

if you want to get your computer hacked use telnet to login as superuser from your pc at school!!!! anyone will see your password!!!

since the passwords used to authenticate the server(ftp and telnet) are transmitted as clear text,it is not advisable to use root logins for the same(as already suggested..)

newayz the following will be the sol'n..

configuring telnet:

To enable the telnet these service, login to the server as the root userid and edit the file /etc/xinetd.d/telnet

In this file, find the line for disable and change it from the value "yes" to "no"

edit the file /etc/securetty and add the following to the end of the file:

pts/0
pts/1
pts/2
pts/3
pts/4
pts/5
pts/6
pts/7
pts/8
pts/9

This will allow up to 10 telnet sessions to the server as root.

Restart xinetd service


configure FTP for root logins:

Edit the files /etc/vsftpd.ftpusers and /etc/vsftpd.user_list and remove the 'root' line from each file

Restart vsftpd service..

Hope this helps..