Fedora Core 2 "root" telnet login problem

[cclo123]

I installed FC2 in my old PC. I added "pts/0, pts/1, pts/2 and pts/3" into the file /etc/securetty. It will let me login as "root" remotely upto 4 sessions. I discovered that the 1st root login as pts/0. After I logout this session, I re-login as root. This is pts/1 session. After the 4th time login as root remotely, I can't login as root remotely. In FC2 command prompt, I type "last". It show
me that all telnet session are closed. I can login remotely with other user name but the telnet session will be pts/5. The telnet session will be add 1 and will not be changed back to pts/0 or pts/1 except reboot the system.
Does anyone face on this problem before?

[cclo123]

Did anyone face on the same problem before?

[Jman]

I concluded that the pts numbers would keep increasing (http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3040). Maybe you could add more, but I highly recommend you use ssh. The server should already be running on your Fedora box. ssh doesn't have the pts login problems.

[Rivenskye]

I can't telnet or FTP in as root at all... I have to have a user account to do it. Is that security feature or did I set something up wrong?

[cclo123]

In default, root can't connect to Redhat/Fedora system.
Telnet:
Add "pts/0, pts/1, pts/2, pts/3................" to the end of the file "/etc/securetty"
FTP:
Delete the name "root" from the file "/etc/vsftpd.ftpusers"

[crackers]

You should never do anything as root over telnet - that is an unsecured protocol that transmits everything, including the password, as plain text. ssh is much preferred and a heckuva lot more reliable...

[cclo123]

TRUE

In default, root cannot telnet and ftp to the server remotely.

[Cr0n_J0b]

The answer would be to use ssh instead of telnet...I don't ever use telnet anymore...Putty is a great client and you can tunnel with it....It's the right thing to do.

[LiNuX-CrUsAdEr]

Hi,

I agree with them that instead of using telnet as your remote login service, use SSH. That way, you'll increase the security of your system especially if it is exposed in the Internet. SSH is included in the Fedora Core 2 CD installers. Make sure to disable the telnet service after installing SSH. Also, I suggest that you do not use your root account as your initial login account when accessing your Linux box remotely. Create an ordinary user account that you can use in remote logins and then perform an su after successfully logging in. By default in SSH, initial logging in using root account is allowed however you can disable this under /etc/ssh/sshd_config file by appending the line "PermitRootLogin no". All SSH connections you make will restrict you from using root account initially.