Solaris

Simple question: for determining whether the user has exceeded the maximum amount of "inactivity" (as set in the shadow file) what date is the current login being compared to? Is it wtmp data or something?

It is usually set up with a readonly variable named TMOUT, on a per user or group basis

ksh example (usually in /etc/profile somewhere)

Code:

typeset -r TMOUT=14400

sets a timeout inactivity period of 4 hours.

Sorry, my question was ambiguous and I'm seeing that just now. I meant the user account inactivity that you configure in /etc/shadow regarding the maximum amount of account inactivity allowed before the account becomes inaccessible until a password reset. I'm thinking that it only pertains to login activity (making it probably wtmp) but I'm not sure what all is involved in actually enforcing that limit (like if sudo activity would reset the clock on an account being inactive).

That "timer" is reset by login.

Code:

sudo su - someuser

has no effect on inactivity timers.

NOTE: this is a horrible idea if you have users that log in and stay logged in for long periods.

In Solaris the nistbladm command is used to do this. A value of -1 in "field" 5 turns off the feature, any positive number turns it on. Where 5 refers to the

Code:

shadow=::::42::

clause of nistbladm. 42 days of inactivity.

Consider not trying to edit /etc/shadow. The consequences of an error with nistbladm
are small compared to the problems of a really screwed up /etc/shadow file.

... maybe I got what you wanted this time.