Warning Message Before Logon

[David Marquez]

I need to setup a warning message that appears before a user logs in to a terminal. What is the name of the file to do this, and where is it located?

[Andy Monks]

For serial connects it's /etc/issue

for telnet connections you need to change inetd.conf and add a banner file for the telnetd process :-

telnet stream tcp nowait root /usr/lbin/telnetd telnetd -b/etc/issue

[CHRIS_ANORUO]

Update the /etc/inetd.conf file, modify the telnetd line by adding -b /etc/issues
vi /etc/issues and put your message.

regards

[Albert E. Whale, CISSP · Accepted solution]

You can change the /etc/motd file for a post Login message.

But for a Pre Login Message you can change the telnetd startup to include the file of your choice for you own greeting. Here's an excerpt from the telnetd man page:

To override the standard telnetd login banner, specify a file containing a custom banner with the -b bannerfile option. For example, to use /etc/issue as the login banner, have inetd start telnetd with the following lines in /etc/inetd.conf ( provides line continuation):

telnet stream tcp nowait root /usr/lbin/telnetd telnetd -b/etc/issue

If bannerfile is not specified, telnetd does not print a login banner.


Hope that helps.

[melvyn burnard]

If you do make changes to the inetd.conf file, remember to do :
inetd -c

this will cause inetd to re-read the config file and accept the change you have made.

[CHRIS_ANORUO]

Thanks melvyn for you point,

My mistake is /etc/issues instead of /etc/issue.
Then inetd -c

cheers!