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#1 2006-11-04 13:14:53

Romashka
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Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

"fast user switch" and security

Gnome has the feature to switch to another user while don't closing current session. Nice, though even Windoze uses more secure way.
When doing user switch from Gnome it just opens another X screen (on Ctrl-Alt-F8) with GDM on it. But if I press Ctrl-Alt-F7 I get into my previous session instantly - no lock, no password! Why is this needed in such state??? Maybe it's just default behaviour, but this is absolutely stupid and insecure.

Does someone know how to make this "fast user switch" feature sucure by default?


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#2 2006-11-04 13:17:03

zeus
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From: Korolev / Russia
Registered: 2006-09-19
Posts: 117
Website

Re: "fast user switch" and security

LOCK screen before open a new X session

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#3 2006-11-04 14:21:38

Romashka
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Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

zeus wrote:

LOCK screen before open a new X session

OK, I'll try when I get back home.
But I'm talking about "Desktop" - "Log Out -username-" - this will bring dialog with three buttons (don't know their English titles because my Gnome speaks Ukrainian), pressing first button opens new X screen, but does not lock current. IMHO this is very bad.

I haven't tried fast-user-switch applet yet.


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#4 2006-11-04 23:17:59

iphitus
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: 2004-10-09
Posts: 4,927

Re: "fast user switch" and security

Install gnome-screensaver so that it can do a screen lock.

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#5 2006-11-05 14:09:30

Romashka
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Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

iphitus wrote:

Install gnome-screensaver so that it can do a screen lock.

OK, I installed it now, but "Lock Screen" menu does absolutely nothing.  :?
EDIT: I forgot to add that this is Gnome 2.14.3.

I may look complete noob, that's because I used Gnome last time when it was < 2.8. I don't count preconfigured Gnome in Ubuntu.

UPDATE: fast-user-switch-applet has the needed option to lock screen after switch, but I couldn't check it because it seems to use gnome-screensaver, and thus didn't work when I try.

UPDATE: damn, gnome-screensaver works, it just doesn't showed up sometimes for the first time after Gnome start :? Maybe it's because it runs on VMware. :?

fast-user-switch-applet works nice.
But IMHO Gnome's default user swith feature should have lock option and set it by default. I will upgrade to 2.16 and see what's changed.


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#6 2006-11-05 14:35:21

Romashka
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Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

I also noticed strange things, I don't know is it a bug in pacman or what.

1)

[root@gnome-desktop ~]# pacman -S gnome-screensaver

Targets: libdrm-2.0.2-1 libgl-dri-6.5.1-1 glproto-1.4.7-1 mesa-6.5.1-1
         gnome-screensaver-2.14.3-1

2) I installed gnome-screensaver with its dependencies

3)

[root@gnome-desktop ~]# pacman -Rs gnome-screensaver

Targets: gnome-screensaver

:shock:

4) pacman -Qi mesa

. . .
Required By    : gnome-screensaver xorg-res-utils
. . .

5) pacman -Qi xorg-res-utils

. . .
Depends On     : libdmx libxaw libxft libxi libxinerama libxtst libxv
                 libxxf86dga libxxf86misc mesa
Required By    : xorg-clients

How this could happen???

This is completely fresh installed machine, from tpowa's ISO + updates from full mirror of official repos (mirrored ~1 month ago).
I installed Xorg with

pacman -S xorg-server xorg-clients xf86-input-mouse xf86-input-keyboard xf86-video-vmware

Why pacman haven't installed mesa at that time??? :?


UPDATE: Bug Report #5775


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#7 2006-11-07 11:22:43

Romashka
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

BTW, why there is no "Switch User" button on lock screen like on this screenshot taken from Gnome 2.14 release notes:

figure-lock-screen-dialog.png

??? :?
Should gnome-screensaver be compiled with some option for this?


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#8 2006-11-07 19:12:17

Mefju
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From: Poland
Registered: 2006-07-12
Posts: 104

Re: "fast user switch" and security

You could enable this feature by editing gconf entries for gnome-screensaver

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#9 2006-11-07 21:36:44

Romashka
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Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

Mefju wrote:

You could enable this feature by editing gconf entries for gnome-screensaver

Thanks!
Gnome devs are strange. Why not enable this by default or provide easy option at least?  :?

I think I either install Xfce 4.4 at home too (already have it on server) or KDE with splitted packages.

But many GTK apps require some Gnome libs. sad


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#10 2006-11-07 21:56:49

iphitus
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From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: 2004-10-09
Posts: 4,927

Re: "fast user switch" and security

maybe it requires GDM to appear enabled?

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#11 2006-11-07 22:08:43

Romashka
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

iphitus wrote:

maybe it requires GDM to appear enabled?

I use GDM. It does not appear in standard Gnome config (pacman -S gnome gnome-screensaver fast-user-switch-applet).
Anyone has it appeared as on gnome.org's screenshot?
:?


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#12 2006-12-01 14:24:07

revertex
Member
Registered: 2006-08-09
Posts: 10

Re: "fast user switch" and security

interesting, i'm at a ubuntu machine at the moment, and switching users lock the inactive user nicely.
even Ctrl-Alt-F* show me a unlock dialog.
maybe worth take a look at what ubuntu devs was changed.
if i can help you drop me a line, i can post some ubuntu config files here if you want.

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#13 2006-12-02 17:57:38

Romashka
Forum Fellow
Registered: 2005-12-07
Posts: 1,054

Re: "fast user switch" and security

revertex wrote:

maybe worth take a look at what ubuntu devs was changed.
if i can help you drop me a line, i can post some ubuntu config files here if you want.

yes, please email them to me.


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