HOSTS.EQUIV(5)						     Linux Programmer's Manual						    HOSTS.EQUIV(5)

NAME

       /etc/hosts.equiv - list of hosts and users that are granted "trusted" r command access to your system

DESCRIPTION

       The hosts.equiv file allows or denies hosts and users to use the r-commands (e.g. rlogin, rsh or rcp) without supplying a password.

       The file uses the following format:

       [ + | - ] [hostname] [username]

       The hostname is the name of a host which is logically equivalent to the local host. Users logged into that host are allowed to access like-
       named user accounts on the local host without supplying a password.  The hostname may be (optionally) preceded by a plus (+) sign.  If  the
       plus  sign  is used alone it allows any host to access your system.  You can expicitly deny access to a host by preceding the hostname by a
       minus (-) sign. Users from that host must always supply a password.  For security reasons you should always use the FQDN  of  the  hostname
       and not the short hostname.

       The  username  entry  grants a specific user access to all user accounts (except root) without supplying a password. That means the user is
       NOT restricted to like-named accounts. The username may be (optionally) preceded by a plus (+) sign. You can also explicitly deny access to
       a  specific  user  by preceding the username with a minus (-) sign. This says that the user is not trusted no matter what other entries for
       that host exist.

       Netgroups can be specified by preceding the netgroup by an @ sign.

       Be extremely careful when using the plus (+) sign. A simple typographical error could result in a standalone plus sign. A  standalone  plus
       sign is a wildcard character that means "any host"!

FILES

       /etc/hosts.equiv

NOTE

       Some  systems will only honor the contents of this file when it has owner root and no write permission for anybody else. Some exceptionally
       paranoid systems even require that there be no other hard links to the file.

SEE ALSO

       rhosts(5), rshd(8), rlogind(8)

Linux								    1995-01-29							    HOSTS.EQUIV(5)