Tobias Nygren <tnn%NetBSD.org@localhost> writes: > On Thu, 29 Oct 2020 08:10:23 +0000 > nia <nia%NetBSD.org@localhost> wrote: > >> hi, >> >> xdm is configured by default to disallow logins from accounts >> without a password set. this is different to how ttys work, >> and means if you have root with no password set you can't >> login to the system >> >> is this intentional? > > I think it is intentional, by historical convention. > If xdm is configured to respond to network queries via XDMCDP, as was > common in the old age, it opens up possibility of remote logins without > a password. It is different from for example sshd remote logins where > there is a "PermitEmptyPasswords no" default. I concur with this version of history Back in the old days (early 90s?)there were "X terminals" that spoke X and looked via xdmcp, sort of like plugging a terminal in via ethernet instead of serial, but X instead of text. But I think ~nobody does remote xdm or uses X terminals any more, and if xdm had a config PermitEmtpyPasswords that defaulted to yes if connected to 127.0.0.1/::1/unix-socket, and no if otherwise, that would be fine.
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