Hello john_howard_morgan, j> Thanks, Robert.
j> Wouldn't the specific things you list require root priviledge on a j> simple desktop distro? Define 'simple desktop distro'.<g> I am currently running Red Hat Enterprise 3, three OpenBSD 3.7 servers, and a few Windows boxes (2000 Pro, 2000 Server, and XP Pro) on my LAN. I have sshd running on all 4 *nix machines for the purposes of remote administration, like controlling the servers, which are up in the corner of my workshop, from down here in my office... or from my laptop, when I am on the road, or at a job-site, etc. I only log in as root (or administrator) on any machine when necessary, and on *nix, in /etc/ssh/sshd_config I have: PermitRootLogin = no MaxAuthTries = 6 ...so the only way into a shell account (as opposed to a email-only account) is with an *extremely* hard password, into an obscurely-named wheel account, and then, su to root. ...but if someone is running a 'simple desktop distro', and is unaware that sshd is even running, because they are a newbie, and possibly clicked 'yes' w/o knowing what-all they were doing during the install process, and then assigned 'toor' as the root password, so they could remember it... they are 'owned', fast as any Windows box. Also, a cracker would still be able to have a nice foot in the door, even if they just got control of your everyday desktop identity, and managed to install a keylogger locally in one of your /home subdirs, like '...', which might take a typical graphical desktop user a while to notice... enough time to capture the passwords to your Bank account, eBay account, PayPal account, etc... all w/o ever having root privileges. -wittig website: http://www.robertwittig.com/ . To unsubscribe from this list, please email [EMAIL PROTECTED] & you will be removed. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LINUX_Newbies/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
