To Check Messages and Select Session Type

If your account is set up with a single-label configuration, the Workstation Information dialog box in the upper portion of Figure 2-4is displayed and you can ignore step 4. If you are permitted to specify single- or multilevel sessions, the session level toggle shown at the bottom of the figure is displayed.

1. Check the date and time of the last login.

   This field indicates when your system was last used. You should always check that there is nothing suspicious about the last login, such as an unusual time of day, and report such occurrences to your security administrator.

2. Read any messages in the Message of the Day field.

   This field contains messages from your administrator. Since this message may contain warnings about scheduled maintenance or security problems, you should always read it.

3. Read any console messages since last logout.

   Typically, these system messages contain messages concerning cron (batch) jobs, but you should check that there are no messages indicating suspicious activity or other problems.

4. Click the session level toggle if you intend to work at only one sensitivity label in your session (user-specified session operation only).

   In a single-level session, you operate at a single discrete sensitivity label. You can only access and write to files at the same sensitivity label. If you do not click the toggle, you are implicitly selecting a multilevel session and can view data at different sensitivity labels. The range in which you can operate is bounded at the upper end by the session clearance that you select in the session clearance dialog box and at the lower end by the minimum sensitivity label assigned to you by your administrator.

   Figure 2-4 Workstation Information Dialog Box

   
   

5. Click OK (or press the Enter or Return key) to close the Workstation Information dialog box.

   If your account is configured for single-label operation, the Trusted Solaris environment is displayed after the Workstation Information dialog box is closed; otherwise you will set the session level next.