Can I have repeated login failures at the console cause a shutdown?
 

Does anyone know whether there is a PAM module or equivalent which
can be used to make a system shutdown if there are repeated login
failures at the console, sort of like pam_tally2 or denyhosts, but
with configurable behaviour?

My idea is: if I've left my laptop logged on with the screen locked,
and it is stolen at that point, I'd like a sequence of failed login
attempts in a row to cause the system to shut down, thereby locking my
crypto disks.

(I know this is not a perfect security approach, but it just makes it
somewhat more difficult for a knowledgeable thief to do anything
useful with my data.)

Julian


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Can I have repeated login failures at the console cause a shutdown?
 

On 06/22/11 at 05:35pm, Julian Gilbey wrote:
> Does anyone know whether there is a PAM module or equivalent which
> can be used to make a system shutdown if there are repeated login
> failures at the console, sort of like pam_tally2 or denyhosts, but
> with configurable behaviour?
Try pam_exec. With the right stacking, you should be able to get it to do what you need.

> My idea is: if I've left my laptop logged on with the screen locked,
> and it is stolen at that point, I'd like a sequence of failed login
> attempts in a row to cause the system to shut down, thereby locking my
> crypto disks.

Why are you leaving your laptop logged on in an insecure area? You could at the
very least set a boot password and suspend to ram or hibernate.


--
Liam