Headless System Configuration in Trusted Extensions (Task Map)

On headless systems, a console is connected by means of a serial line to a terminal emulator window. The line is typically secured by the tip command. Depending on what type of second system is available, you can use one of the following methods to configure a headless system. The methods are listed from more secure to less secure in the following table. These instructions also apply to remote systems.

Enable Remote Login by root User in Trusted Extensions

As in the Oracle Solaris OS, root can log in remotely from a labeled system when the CONSOLE entry is disabled.

If you plan to administer a remote system by editing local files, use this procedure.

1. Comment out the CONSOLE= line in the /etc/default/login file.

   # vi /etc/default/login

   The edited line appears similar to the following:

   #CONSOLE=/dev/console

2. Permit root user login over an ssh connection.

   Modify the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file. By default, ssh is enabled on an Oracle Solaris system.

   # vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config

   The edited line appears similar to the following:

   PermitRootLogin yes

Next Steps

To log in as the root user from an unlabeled system, you must also complete Enable Remote Login From an Unlabeled System.

To enable remote login by a role, continue with Enable Remote Login by a Role in Trusted Extensions.

Enable Remote Login by a Role in Trusted Extensions

Follow this procedure only if you must administer a headless system by using the rlogin or ssh command.

Configuration errors can be debugged remotely.

Before You Begin

If you are using local files to administer the remote system, you have completed Enable Remote Login by root User in Trusted Extensions. Then, as the root user, perform this task on both systems.

1. On both systems, identify the other system as a labeled system.

   The desktop system and the headless system must identify each other as using the identical security template. For the procedure, see How to Assign a Security Template to a Host or a Group of Hosts.

   To assign a temporary label, see Example 6-1.

2. On both systems, create identical users and roles.

   The names and IDs must be identical, and the role must be assigned to the user on both systems. To create users and roles, see Creating Roles and Users in Trusted Extensions.

3. To allow remote role assumption, modify the pam.conf file to relax PAM policy.
   1. Copy the /etc/pam.conf file to /etc/pam.conf.orig.

      # cp /etc/pam.conf /etc/pam.conf.orig

   2. Edit the pam.conf file.

      # vi /etc/pam.conf

   3. Modify the pam.roles entry under Account management.

      Use the Tab key between fields. This section now appears similar to the following:

      # Default definition for Account management
      # Used when service name is not explicitly mentioned for account management
      #
      # other   account requisite    pam_roles.so.1
      # Enable remote role assumption
      other   account requisite    pam_roles.so.1   allow_remote
      #
      other   account required     pam_unix_account.so.1
      other   account required     pam_tsol_account.so.1

   4. Save the file and exit the editor.
   5. (Optional) Copy the file to /etc/pam.conf.site.

      # cp /etc/pam.conf /etc/pam.conf.site

      If you upgrade the system to a later release, you must then evaluate if you should copy the changes from /etc/pam.conf.site into the pam.conf file.

Example 6-1 Creating a Temporary Definition of a Trusted Extensions Host Type

In this example, the administrator wants to start configuring a remote Trusted Extensions system before the host type definitions are set up. To do so, the administrator uses the tnctl command on the remote system to temporarily define the host type of the desktop system:

remote-TX# tnctl -h desktop-TX:cipso

Later, the administrator wants to reach the remote Trusted Extensions system from a desktop system that is not configured with Trusted Extensions. In this case, the administrator uses the tnctl command on the remote system to temporarily define the host type of the desktop system as an unlabeled system that runs at the ADMIN_LOW label:

remote-TX# tnctl -h desktop-TX:admin_low

Enable Remote Login From an Unlabeled System

Before You Begin

This procedure is not secure.

You have relaxed PAM policy to allow remote role assumption, as described in Enable Remote Login by a Role in Trusted Extensions.

• On the trusted system, apply the appropriate security template to the unlabeled system.

  ---

  Caution - With the default settings, another unlabeled system could log in and administer the remote system. Therefore, you must change the 0.0.0.0 network default from ADMIN_LOW to a different label. For the procedure, see How to Limit the Hosts That Can Be Contacted on the Trusted Network.

  ---

Enable the Remote Display of Administrative GUIs

The procedure for remote display on a desktop is identical to the procedure on an Oracle Solaris system that is not configured with Trusted Extensions. This procedure is placed here for convenience.

1. On the desktop system, enable processes from the headless system to display.
   1. Enable the headless system to access the X server on the desktop system.

      desktop $ xhost + headless-host

   2. Determine the value of the desktop's DISPLAY variable.

      desktop $ echo $DISPLAY
      :n.n

2. On the headless system, set the DISPLAY variable to the desktop system.

   headless $ DISPLAY=desktop:n.n
   headless $ export DISPLAY=n:n

Use the rlogin or ssh Command to Log In and Administer a Headless System in Trusted Extensions

This procedure enables you to use the command line and the txzonemgr GUI to administer a headless system as superuser or as a role.

Before You Begin

You have completed Enable Remote Login by a Role in Trusted Extensions.

You are a user who is enabled to log in to the headless system with that same user name and user ID, and you can assume the same role on the headless system that you can assume on the desktop system.

1. On the desktop system, enable processes from the headless system to display.

   desktop $ xhost + headless-host
   desktop $ echo $DISPLAY
   :n.n

2. Ensure that you are the user who is identically defined on both systems.
3. From a terminal window, remotely log in to the headless system.
   • Use the ssh command to log in:

     desktop $ ssh -l identical-username headless
     Password: Type the user's password
     headless $

   • Or, use the rlogin command to log in:

     desktop # rlogin headless
     Password: Type the user's password
     headless $

4. Assume the role that is defined identically on both systems.

   Use the same terminal window. For example, assume the root role.

   headless $ su - root
   Password: Type the root password

   You are now in the global zone. You can now use this terminal to administer the headless system from the command line.

5. Enable processes on the headless system to display on the desktop system.

   ---

   Note - You can also display remote GUIs by logging in with the ssh -X command. For more information, see the ssh(1) man page. For an example, see Example 6-2.

   ---

   headless $  DISPLAY desktop:n.n
   headless $ export DISPLAY=n:n

   You can now administer the headless system by using Trusted Extensions GUIs. For example, start the txzonemgr GUI:

   headless $ /usr/sbin/txzonemgr

   The Labeled Zone Manager runs on the remote system and displays on the desktop system.

Example 6-2 Configuring Labeled Zones on a Headless System

In this example, the administrator uses the txzonemgr GUI to configure labeled zones on a labeled headless system from a labeled desktop system. As in the Oracle Solaris OS, the administrator enables X server access to the desktop system by using the -X option to the ssh command. The user install1 is defined identically on both systems, and can assume the role remoterole.

TXdesk1 $ xhost + TXnohead4
TXdesk1 $ whoami
install1

TXdesk1 $ ssh -X -l install1 TXnohead4
Password: Ins1PwD1
TXnohead4 $

To reach the global zone, the administrator assumes the role remoterole. This role is defined identically on both systems.

TXnohead4 # su - remoterole
Password: abcd1EFG

Then, the administrator starts the txzonemgr GUI.

TXnohead4 $ /usr/sbin/txzonemgr &

The Labeled Zone Manager runs on the headless system and displays on the desktop system.