I am using telnet to login to my RH7.1 linux box. When I try as a mere mortal user it works fine. When I try as root I get a Login incorrect message. Any ideas?

There should be a file /etc/securitty

From what I know there must be a single line that says:

console


That Should solve your problem , if you still have trouble login with some user and type: su

you will then be prompted for a password.

Hope that helps

Fed007

(busy waitin for my own reply )

you cannot telnet into linux as root, you either need to su once in. i recommend using ssh though as its more secure and would not recommending su into root on a regular telnet session as its a big security risk.

security is set that you can not remotely log in as root, for a few reasons, one so people do not crack your box externally with a root login.

have you tried ssh as normal user, and then su to root?

i do not use telnet really, but see if you can telnet into it and then su up to root. that will work but login as root does not.

Under your users you can add the option for root to telnet into your machine, i think its there. I do not use redhat but i have, there is a tool that shows all users and what privs they have, you will notice root does not have that right, but others do.

Sorry i can not give you exactly what file i am unsure. but try the su command to get to root.

I'm a newbie so I can ask...

If it's such a big security issue to prevent Harry Hacker logging in as root, why is it not a security issue to prevent Harry logging in as harry and then doing su.

Because the little penguin says so.....


Good question, its just I guess most people like to do some type of admin while remotely and that is just one of the easy ways of doing it, but I wouldn't, if your wanting to do it, use ssh instead, much more secure than just telnet.

Here one cop-out answer, which might be a real solid answer:
A) There's really really bad people that are out on the net.
B) There's just bad people on your machine.

By allowing root telnet, you'll only have one layer of security from the RRB. By not allowing root telnet but only su, then the RRB people have to somehow get an account before hacking your su password layer of security.

Disabling root telnet blocks the RRB.. su blocks the JB. But then again, that's just on the telnet front.. the RRRB people will try more than port 23 >

What you may be missing in the previous answers is this... Telnet does not use any encryption. Everything is sent over the net in a plain text kinda way. Therefore, if you login as root, someone sniffing your IP addy will get your root password.. well, then they have root and you might as well take the box to their house and set it up on their desk for them.

SSH encripts everything it sends. So, if you log in as root, anyone sniffing your IP is getting a long string that is not breakable.

SSH is really easy to install.. so kill telnet on your box and use SSH only.

Can I use SSH to log in from Windows 2000?

Sure I see no problem in that. check out http://www.ssh.com/ for info on ssh.

Hey, you can also use SSH in place of FTP... it is simply wonderful! LOL...

Ah... btw... OpenSSH is already on your box... if you went with a standard install of the distrib... but I would suggest upgrading with the non-comercial license from ssh.com.

I like the way it works a little better.