Re: OT: disabling login

[Dimitri Maziuk <dmaziuk@yola.bmrb.wisc.edu>]

* Ron Johnson (ron.l.johnson@cox.net) spake thusly:
> On Thu, 21 Feb 2002 17:16:38 -0600 Dimitri Maziuk <dmaziuk@yola.bmrb.wisc.edu> wrote:
> 
> > * Ron Johnson (ron.l.johnson@cox.net) spake thusly:
> > > Hi,
> > > 
> > > On a multi-user system, how can I "turn off" an account?  Not
> > > remove it, though, since at a later time, it will have to be
> > > re-enabled?  While we're at it, how to you re-enable a disabled
> > > account?
> > 
> > File a bug against passwd, tell them to rewrite shadow(5) and 
> > passwd(5) manpages. 
> 
> ?????
> 
> As others have pointed out, "passwd -l" locks an account, and it's
> documented in "man passwd".

Yeah, and "killall" without parameters prints out a nice usage
summary... try it on a real unix sometime.

(Checking...) "passwd -l" does indeed work on IRIX and Solaris.
There is no "passwd -u" on either. However, both IRIX and Solaris
have "lock" string documented (albeit poorly) in manpages. Linux
does not.

I've given you the method that works on (at least) 3 flavours of 
Unix, and *it is not documented in Linux manpages*.

[ SSH ]
> How, if the password has been mangled?

Again, IRIX manpage helpfully says "locking the password does not
disable rhosts authentication". Linux manpages don't mention it.
(I forgot to mention that one; hopefully you didn't enable it.)

Like RSH (rhosts), SSH does not use password database (unless you 
tell it to).

Dima
-- 
One distinguishing characteristic of BOFHen is attention deficit disorder.  
Put me in front of something boring and I can find a near-infinite number 
of really creative ways to bugger off.                                   -- ADB