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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!rochester!cornell!batcomputer!itsgw!steinmetz!ge-dab!codas!killer!jfh
From: jfh@killer.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: 60-second timeout in Unix login
Message-ID: <2206@killer.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 24-Nov-87 11:35:32 EST
Article-I.D.: killer.2206
Posted: Tue Nov 24 11:35:32 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Nov-87 12:14:57 EST
References: <4139@venera.isi.edu> <2167@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>
Organization: Big "D" Home for Wayward Hackers
Lines: 37
Summary: Add a log of failed attempts.

In article <2167@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu>, lvc@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Lawrence V. Cipriani) writes:
> In article <4139@venera.isi.edu>, cracraft@venera.isi.edu
> 	(Stuart Cracraft) writes:
> > The 60-second timeout in Unix login is not long enough.
> > 
> > When accessing Unix via various networks or combinations
> > of networks, particularly when either the remote machine
> > or the local machine is heavily loaded, the 60-second
> > timeout will consistently prevent login.
> > 
> > 	Stuart
> 
> If you are going to increase the 60 second time limit you
> should also limit the number of login attempts, (with 60
> seconds and fast hands you can get about 15 attempts).
>  [ stuff deleted ]
> Does anyone have other suggestions for making login more secure?

I have considered (and once did) hacking the login sources to log failed
attempts.  This helped us find out that someone was attempting to crack
the root account, my account, and the system managers account.

I created a little structure, which was indexed by uid in a file with
the number of unsuccessful logins and the date of the last unsuccessful
one, plus the tty name of the port the last attempt was made on.

When you successfully logged in, it gave you a report.  If you saw too
many of these things, it might be a wise idea to change your password.

This is not a new idea of mine, I stole it from VMS ...

- John.
-- 
John F. Haugh II                  SNAIL:  HECI Exploration Co. Inc.
UUCP: ...!ihnp4!killer!jfh                11910 Greenville Ave, Suite 600
      ...!ihnp4!killer!rpp386!jfh         Dallas, TX. 75243
"Don't Have an Oil Well?  Then Buy One!"  (214) 231-0993