Showing "permission denied" when trying to login in - Montavista Linux

Hello friends,

I have scratched my system and after that when I am trying to access the console via root login it's failing with an error message of "permission denied". I am able to access the other login, I am having only problem with root and some other user login. I am using an telnet session for this connection.

I strongly believe that this is something related to the file permission/group/ownership related issue ?? If any of you are expert in this area please do help me to find a solution. Your help will be appreciated.

Do you guys think telnet is disabled for some specific users, I have checked my /etc/passwd file and I haven't seen any nologin entry there

Thanks in advance

Typically root login is only allowed from the console - not via telnet, ssh, etc.

You need edit /etc/securetty and add the appropriate entries.

...or just not do that. Typically you'd login as a regular user then su or sudo. This restriction is for a reason.

fpmurphy Exactly. All the terminal names are already there in the /etc/securetty file. I am pasting some of the entries in the file. Do you think something else is causing the issue. Because I am getting permission denied for only two logins ( root and scadm login), with all other login I am able to enter the console.

That too after entering in the working login, I am able to enter in to the root using "su". I think the thing is going more tricky here.

# for people with serial port consoles
ttyS0

# for devfs
tts/0

# Standard consoles
tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
tty7
tty8
tty9
tty10

---------- Post updated at 05:23 AM ---------- Previous update was at 05:20 AM ----------

Corona688 Thank You. Yeah, that was working for me. I was able to login in to some other user and from there I am able to login to root using "su". Since I am having a active standby configuration, I would need direct root login to the console.

Remote login (e.g. ssh) usually does not use tty terminals, but sth. like pts devices. You may want - despite Corona688's advice - to add some pts/n to your /etc/securetty file.

RudiC I have pasted some part of my security file. pts/n was already in the file. I am pasting the complete securetty file here. I am sure you will be able to find a solution for this.

# /etc/securetty: list of terminals on which root is allowed to login.
# See securetty(5) and login(1).
console

# for people with serial port consoles
ttyS0

# for devfs
tts/0

# Standard consoles
tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
tty7
tty8
tty9
tty10
tty11
tty12
tty13
tty14
tty15
tty16
tty17
tty18
tty19
tty20
tty21
tty22
tty23
tty24
tty25
tty26
tty27
tty28
tty29
tty30
tty31
tty32
tty33
tty34
tty35
tty36
tty37
tty38
tty39
tty40
tty41
tty42
tty43
tty44
tty45
tty46
tty47
tty48
tty49
tty50
tty51
tty52
tty53
tty54
tty55
tty56
tty57
tty58
tty59
tty60
tty61
tty62
tty63

# Same as above, but these only occur with devfs devices
vc/1
vc/2
vc/3
vc/4
vc/5
vc/6
vc/7
vc/8
vc/9
vc/10
vc/11
vc/12
vc/13
vc/14
vc/15
vc/16
vc/17
vc/18
vc/19
vc/20
vc/21
vc/22
vc/23
vc/24
vc/25
vc/26
vc/27
vc/28
vc/29
vc/30
vc/31
vc/32
vc/33
vc/34
vc/35
vc/36
vc/37
vc/38
vc/39
vc/40
vc/41
vc/42
vc/43
vc/44
vc/45
vc/46
vc/47
vc/48
vc/49
vc/50
vc/51
vc/52
vc/53
vc/54
vc/55
vc/56
vc/57
vc/58
vc/59
vc/60
vc/61
vc/62
vc/63

# psudo terminals used by telnet
pts/0
pts/1
pts/2
pts/3
pts/4
pts/5
pts/6
pts/7

What terminal are you using (check e.g. output of ps) when logging in as a normal user?

Thank You very much friends, I am able to solve the issue. I have added the entry console in the access.conf file for root user. This solved my issue.