> While an X session is generated by a startx, a user can issue a > Ctrl+Alt+Backspace to kill the X session, giving access to that > account's cmd-line. This can also be done when the screen is locked. If > the machine is running init 5 and it is the default X session, this only > restarts the X session and doesn't give cmd-line access. > When I tried this as root, it hung the system, and X did not restart. Graphical logins were unavailable (the screen was completely black) and access to a virtual console required a new login. >From a locked user session, X restarts and prompts again for username and password. I gather that if root could lock the screen, he could recover more easily. > Although I prefer init 3, I have been running 5 to get around this. I > might research the possibility of deactivating Ctrl+Alt+Backspace while > having the screen locked. But still, a more savvy badguy/girl will know > about either method of getting access. =( Not really a worry. If a bad guy has physical access to your keyboard and system box, you're in trouble anyway and nothing X can do will help you. If I want to cause trouble, all I have to do is turn off the power, or take out the hard drive. > > But for the use of root: Don't log in as root to a GUI, unless you are > there using it. Log out when you are done. Better: use su or sudo in a > user account using virtual terminals. This isn't the point of my question. Is the misbehavior of the screensaver a bug, an unintended side effect of something else, or done intentionally? > Stephen Mirowski
