Linux console login problem

[Karthik S S]

Hi,

I am unable to login as a normal user from console. (nisplus). nsswitch is configured properly and I am able to login only as root from console. But from the network I can login as any user.

If I try to login as a normal user from console I get the following error,

un 24 16:44:32 lnx-test kde(pam_unix)[1999]: authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=:0 ruser= rhost= user=karthik

what could be the problem??

Thanks
Karthik

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

check /etc/securetty file. It is having console entry in it. You may have to remove it.

[Karthik S S]

no it doesn't have a entry for console ...

Thanks
Karthik

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

check the permission of the file /etc/hosts it should be readable by all. I suppose you are loging in at KDE login prompt of the GUI.

i am not having much idea about pam. but you can check pam.conf file or .Xauthority files or man pages of pam and xauth.

[Zeev Schultz]

1)No need to check pam.conf IMHO,as can see
that pam_unix (standard unix /etc/password) is used
2)Are you sure that you're connecting as regular user and not root - uid=0 and euid=0 points otherwise...can be that you've defined
additional user with the same "powers" as root?
user=karthik is the remote user.
3)I'd also check /.rhosts /etc/hosts.allow /etc/hosts.deny.

Zeev

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

Do you have /etc/nologin file existing in that system.

Have a look at the URL,
http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-7-Manual/ref-guide/s1-sysadmin-auth.html

[Karthik S S]

Hi,

/etc/nologin and /root/.rhosts doesn't exist and /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny are empty .. and I am sure that I am trying to login as normal user from the Console ( be it is KDE login or some tty by pressing Ctl+Alt+Fn ) but I unable to login so.

Thanks
Karthik

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

ll /dev/console

Every one should have write permission to this file.

[K.Vijayaragavan.]

Have a look at the log file and look for PAM related errors (cat /tmp/var/log | grep pam ).

Have a look at this file and man page of it.
(/etc/security/console.perms )

[Zeev Schultz]

read pam_console man page,it speaks about
/var/run/console.lock (that contains a user name that has a console)...
on my rh 9 it's rw by root.For a try you can
put in this file name of your user (only one line) and try to login (keeping one more session to the computer).If you'll be able - it's about this,if not - seek somewhere else.

Zeev