Modifying the /etc/passwd File

To configure a dial-in server, you must also edit the /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow files.

You must add entries to the /etc/passwd file on the dial-in server for each user on a remote host authorized to log in to the server. When a remote host calls the dial-in server, it reads its UUCP databases and passes the server a user name or user ID for the host initiating the call. The server then verifies this user information in its /etc/passwd file.

If the user's password is authenticated, the server then logs the user in to a special shell for PPP hosts, /usr/sbin/aspppls. The server gets this information from the login shell entry in its /etc/passwd file. Using the example in Figure 9-1, dial-in server nubian might have the following entries in its /etc/passwd file:

bin:x:2:2::/bin:
sys:x:3:3::/bin:
uucp:x:5:5::/usr/lib/uucp:
nuucp:x:9:9::/var/spool/uucppublic:/usr/lib/uucp/uucico
news:x:6:6::/var/spool/news:/bin/csh
sundiag:x:0:1:System Diagnostic:/usr/diag/sundiag:/usr/diag/sundiag/sundiag
lily:x:20:99:Dial-in Operator:/home/nubian/lily:/bin/csh
nomada:x:21:99:R. Burton:/:/usr/sbin/aspppls
nomadb:x:22:99:T. Sherpa:/:/usr/sbin/aspppls
nomadc:x:23:99:S. Scarlett:/:/usr/sbin/aspppls

Refer to System Administration Guide for information about the /etc/passwd file.

In addition to the information in the /etc/passwd file, you update the /etc/shadow file with the passwords for the login names used by each endpoint machine permitted to dial in to the server. For more information, refer to System Administration Guide.