MAN page from Old RedHat 5.X mkxauth-1.7-8.noarch.rpm

mkxauth

Section: Linux User's Manual (1x)
Updated: 12-Dec-1996
Index

NAME

mkxauth - create and merge .Xauthority files

SYNOPSIS

(1)mkxauth[ -q ] [ -ulogin] -c [host[host... ] ]

(2)mkxauth[ -q ] [ -ulogin] -mlogin

(3)mkxauth[ -q ] [ -ulogin] -fhost

(4)mkxauth[ -q ] [ -ulogin] -rhost[ -llogin]

(5)mkxauth[ -q ] [ -ulogin] -zhost[ -llogin]

DESCRIPTION

mkxauth aids in the creation and maintenance of X authentication databases(.Xauthority files). Use it to create a ~/.Xauthority file or mergekeys from another local or remote .Xauthority file. Remote .Xauthorityfiles can be retrieved via FTP (using ncftp(1))or via rsh(1).For a slight measure of security,mkxauth does not create any temporary files containing authentication keys(although anyone spying on network packets can see the authenticationkey data as they pass through the network; for secure networkcommunications, use ssh(1)).

Creating and Adding to a .Xauthority File

To create a .Xauthority file, usemkxauth -c (see (1) above).mkxauth creates a .Xauthority file in the user's home directory (~/),containing a `key' or `magic cookie' for the host it was run on (theone returned byhostname(1)).If a .Xauthority file already exists, the keys are added to it. Ifkeys for that host already exist, they are replaced.

To create or add to a .Xauthority file for another user, usemkxauth -ulogin-c.mkxauthadds keys to~login/.Xauthority(only the root user is allowed to do this).

To add a key for more than one host, specify all hosts on the commandline:mkxauth -c daffy porky bugs.All hosts specified on the same command line receive the same key. Tocreate different keys for multiple hosts, runmkxauthfor each host in succession:

: mkxauth -c daffy
: mkxauth -c porky
: mkxauth -c bugs

Merging Keys from Local .Xauthority Files

To merge keys from another local user's .Xauthority file, usemkxauth -mlogin (see (2) above).mkxauthadds the keys in ~login/.Xauthorityto ~/.Xauthority, replacing any keys which already exist.~login/.Xauthoritymust be readable by the user runningmkxauth(normally only the root user can read other people's .Xauthority files).

Merging Keys via FTP

To merge keys from a remote .Xauthority file via FTP, usemkxauth -fhost(see (3) above).mkxauth retrieves the remote .Xauthority fromhostusingncftp(1)and adds those keys to ~/.Xauthority, replacing any keys which alreadyexist.[NOTE:you must have a ~/.netrc file set up to automatically log you intohost,otherwise the FTP login attempt will fail.]

Merging Keys via rsh(1)

To merge keys from remote .Xauthority file viarsh(1),usemkxauth -rhost(see (4) above).mkxauthretrieves the remote .Xauthority fromhostusingrsh(1)and adds those keys to ~/.Xauthority, replacing any keys which alreadyexist. To login as a different user, use-llogin.[NOTE:you must have a .rhosts file set up properly for this to work,otherwise the remote login attempt will fail].

Merging Keys via rsh(1) and gzip(1)

If your remote .Xauthority file is large, or to make it slightly lessobvious that you're transferring authentication keys over the network,mkxauthcangzip(1)your .Xauthority file before retrieving it via rsh(1).To do this, usemkxauth -zhost(see (5) above).mkxauthretrieves the remote .Xauthority fromhostusingrsh(1)and adds those keys to ~/.Xauthority, replacing any keys which alreadyexist. To login as a different user, use-llogin.[NOTE:you must have a .rhosts file set up properly for this to work,otherwise the remote login attempt will fail].

Options

To make mkxauthoperate quietly, use the-qoption.

To add to ~login/.Xauthority,use the-uloginoption.

To use loginfor the remote login in mkxauth -f,mkxauth-r,andmkxauth-z,use the-llogin option.

Getting Help

To get quick help aboutmkxauth,use mkxauth --help.

FILES

~/.Xauthority
~/.netrc
~/.rhosts

COMMENTS

mkxauth

is mostly useful for maintaining .Xauthority files in an environmentwhich usesstartx(1x).xdm(1x)uses its own method of generating .Xauthority files. However, mkxauthis still useful for transferring .Xauthority information to remotelogin sessions so that the user can display remote X clients on thelocal host without too much trouble.

Note, however, that using rsh(1)is inherently insecure, and sites concerned about security should usessh(1)instead (see http://www.cs.hut.fi/ssh/ for more information).

BUGS

Does not respect the XAUTHORITY environment variable.

AUTHOR

Conceived and written by Jim Knoble <jmknobleAATTredhat.com>. Copyright1996 by Jim Knoble and Red Hat Software. Distributed under the GNU GPL(General Public License); see ftp://prep.ai.mit.edu/pub/gnu/COPYING formore information.

Index

NAME

SYNOPSIS

DESCRIPTION

Creating and Adding to a .Xauthority File
Merging Keys from Local .Xauthority Files
Merging Keys via FTP
Merging Keys via rsh(1)
Merging Keys via rsh(1) and gzip(1)
Options
Getting Help

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