topic Re: how to login as root, using telnet??? in Operating System - Linux

how to login as root, using telnet???

Sharfuddin — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 11:16:03 GMT

Hi to All
when I telnet the remote machine running RedHat 8.0, as root, it doesnt allow to connect to as root, and said "login incorrect". why???
what should I have to do so that I can telnet the system as root.
Ok, I telnet the remote system as a normal user, and then I issue "su" command so that i can logon as root, so i write "$ su root" and provide root password, I(root) logon succeesfuly, but whatever command I issue(i m root now) the system says "bash: shutdown: command not found" or "bash: init: command not found", so I want to know that why I cant do any admin work(receiving "command not found"), although I m login as root on the remote machine.

Thanks in anticipation

Regards
Sharf

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

sinhass — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 11:27:47 GMT

Check /etc/xinetd.d/telnet file.

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Mark Grant — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 12:07:57 GMT

Have a look at your /etc/passwd file. See if the entry for "root" looks OK.

Then, look at root's .profile and see if PATH is being set to something silly. A common path error is something like "export PATH=/usr/local/bin:PATH" (missing the $ before the second PATH). This will make most applications "Not found".

If you are being given a login message then it isn't an xinetd problem. May want to check that your tty's are in /etc/securetty but that won't cause the problem you get after you su.

check your environment, run "env" and see if there a re any obvious variables not set correctly, $HOME comes to mind.

All in all, to me it looks like there is a bit of a problem with the root account. Either in one of the .profile type files or in /etc/passwd itseÃ¸

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Olivier Drouin — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 13:25:34 GMT

Its not a good idea to login directly "root".

For your other problem:

PATH=$PATH:/the/path/to/some/bin
export PATH

OR

su - root
the "-" will load /etc/profile and/or ~/.profile.
Your PATH will be set then...

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Martin P.J. Zinser — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 13:38:23 GMT

Hello Sharf,

if you really want to login as root you need to
adapt /etc/securetty and add your terminal like

tty1
tty2
....

Having said that, generally it is a better idea to use ssh for this purpose. Try

ssh root@

This will most probably work. You might need to confirm the setup of some keys upon first login.

Greetings, Martin

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Stuart Browne — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:54:46 GMT

Martin has the right thoughts.

The two main ways of allowing the user 'root' to telnet into a machine is to stack the /etc/securetty with pseudo tty's (defeats the purpose), or to modify the /etc/pam.d/telnet, removing the reliance upon the 'secretty' lib.

Generally though, do away with telnet, and just use SSH.

The whole point of not allowing access to root directly is a security measure to stop people from dictionary-hacking the machine remotely.

Even if they break into a user account, they then have to do it again to get any privileges.

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Mobeen_1 — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 01:23:23 GMT

Sharf,
I don't think its a good idea to allow root login via telnet. Thats the reason why its disabled on your system.

In any case if there is a pressing need for you to do this for variety of reasons know to you, our colleagues have already posted solutions.

I would think telnetting as yourself and then doing a su would be the way to go. Also i would suggest that you think of implementing SSH on your systems, that would make them more secure

Just my thoughts

regards
Mobeen

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Sharfuddin — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 02:19:39 GMT

First I want to say THANKS to u all, I really appreciate u peoples
Unfortuately, I have to left my city, so I cant do the work u people suggest.
I'll be in my city Tommorow, then I'll reply again.
Thanx to All

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Robert Binkhorst — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 07:00:06 GMT

Hi,

You're using su without the "-" symbol, which sets root's environment for your session.

So, try this command:
su - root

And you will find all your commands.

HTH,

Robert

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Mobeen_1 — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 07:10:29 GMT

Robert,
I should say you have a good eye for details :-). I did not notice that he was not using '-' with su.

regards
Mobeen

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Steven E. Protter — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 08:03:12 GMT

By default, Red Hat Linux has since at least version 7.0 not allowed by default root login from telnet.

The reason is that telnet does user authentication in clear text, which means anybody along the route or with a sniffer can get your root password during authentication.

I have experienced a second root account being set up on my Red Hat 7.3 box(long since upgraded). I can only believe that occurred due to packet sniffing or some other security flaw.

Since then I use telnet on a normal user account to my ISP and then use SSH to log on. openssh is set up on your Red Hat box to allow root login if you installed it at all. Its secure and I recommend it.

I strongly advise against editing /etc/securetty or the other methods of allowing root to log in directly by telnet.

SEP

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Olivier Drouin — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 10:25:26 GMT

some people have problems with long threads, isn't it ?

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Olivier Drouin — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 10:25:49 GMT

just joking btw ;-)

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Sharfuddin — Fri, 05 Mar 2004 23:00:47 GMT

Hi to All
Folks, I m much pleased, and thankfull to u all, for the feedbacks.
Sinhass there is nothing wrong in /etc/xinetd.d/telnet
Mark Grant, I worked on you suggestions, and succeed. As per your instruction in /etc/securetty, I add pts/1, pts/2....not ttyx(tty1, tty2...were alredy there), and then try root login via telnet, and login ssuccessfuly. again thanks, for support.
Olivier Drouin , u are indeed Great, yes u were wright, I followed ur instructions, and succeed, thanks, and so nice of u.
Martin P.J. Zinser, u too a Great, as per your instructions I did
#ssh root@node, and succeed. And you told me to check /etc/securetty, I check this file, and found all ttys(tty1, tty2, ...), but have to add pts/x, and it works.
Stuart Browne, I didnt find the /etc/pam.d/telnet file, so I didnt follow u, sorry and thanks.
And in last thanks a lot, Mobeen for u r kind suggestions/thoughts.

Thanks
sharf

Re: how to login as root, using telnet???

Saravanan_9 — Tue, 06 Apr 2004 01:30:33 GMT

hi,

In /etc directory the filename called
securetty. just rename that file . u can login as the root

like

#mv /etc/securetty /etc/securetty.old