Re: Remote login demands password when none defined - dont want it to anyway?

[Larry Jones]

Bob Seabrook writes:
> 
>   When I login to a new cvs installation (on a redhat 6.2 linux box)
>   It demands a password but I dont want it to -
>   and I dont know what it is either (anyway).

It would be helpful to know exactly what version of CVS you have.

>   the relevant line in /etc/inetd.conf is;-
> 
>      cvspserver stream tcp nowait root /usr/bin/cvs cvs -b /usr/bin 
> --allow-root=/user/local/repository pserver

Unless it's an ancient version, the "-b /usr/bin" has no effect and can
be removed.  You should, however, have a "-f" in there.

>   cvspserver is defined ok in /etc/services as;-
> 
>      cvspserver  2401/tcp
>      cvspserver  2401/udp

CVS doesn't use UDP, so that line can be safely deleted.

>   I have edited /user/local/repository/CVSROOT/config
>   so that password authentication is off! ie;-
>      SystemAuth=no

That doesn't disable password authentication, it says that you don't
want to allow ordinary system users to login (to CVS) using their system
passwords.

>   when I create a passwd file containing the line
>     Seabrook:
>   or 
>     Seabrook::
>   ..and other lines.
> 
>   login also fails with the message
> 
>     cvs [login aborted]: authorization failed. Server 192.168.2.247 rejected 
> access

Here's where the version of CVS becomes significant.  Allowing access
with no password is a relatively recent feature (1.11, I believe) -- if
your version of CVS is older than that, it won't work.  Also, there's no
reason to login if you don't have a password (but it should still work).

-Larry Jones

Moms and reason are like oil and water. -- Calvin