[kde-linux] Starting ssh at log-in

[Boyan Tabakov]

On 22.11.2006 21:48, Anne Wilson wrote:
> My concern is not severe, since this is a family lan and I have no reason
> to mistrust any family member.  However, on principle, I like to have a
> number of layers of security.  Of course my user password is the first
> obstacle. After that, there is the matter of running shell scripts that
> copy data across to the server.  For this my ssh passphrase is required.  I
> may be working actually away from the computer at the time that cron
> requires the passphrase, so I use keychain to cache it.
>
> I don't think that's exactly what I need.  All I am concerned with is
>
> a) I must be asked for the passphrase to enable the scripts to work
> b) it should happen early enough to avoid the situation where I get busy in
> the next room and forget to do it in time for the first call.
>
> I suppose I'm close to being paranoid on this - if I'm not working at the
> box there probably isn't much to transfer anyway.  All the same, there's
> not much point in using ssh unless I make it as secure as possible and
> convenient as possible without losing that security.
>
> Anne

Hi again,
There are two things that I would like to point out.

First, if you use password caching anyway, it is only the first time you are 
prompted for the password. Then the alternative of typing just 'y' rather 
that the hole password lacks only in the event of someone else starting YOUR 
KDE session, which is already a security hole (Even in the family you don't 
share linux users, do you? There is no reason to do so...:) ).

Second, even if you do type your password the first time, you said in some 
previous post that your konsole flicks on the screen and then exits. This 
could mean two things (at leas I can think of two right now)
 a) Your password is retrieved from elsewhere (something like .netrc file 
perhaps?) or a defferent authentication method is used.
 b) Your backup script fails to prompt for the password and exits prematurely, 
causing your konsole to exit too, because it is started with the backup 
script to run rather than a shell.

You can determine what is happening by running your script manually, trying to 
run konsole automatically with some other command to execute for testing, 
monitoring on the remote server if the backup is successful, etc.

By the way, my console gets messy in the way you described (transparency, keys 
not responding etc.) when I try to run a konsole set up with transparent 
background with X forwarding.

I think you have pretty much options on how to do what you want, you simply 
need to pick up one! And, yes, I know this could be the hardest part:) So 
good luck again...

-- 
Blade hails you...

My fall will be for you
My love will be in you
If you be the one to cut me
I'll bleed forever
                --Nightwish
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