XAUTH(1) AIX XAUTH(1) NAME xauth - X authority file utility SYNOPSIS xxxxaaaauuuutttthhhh [-f _a_u_t_h_f_i_l_e] [-vqib] [_c_o_m_m_a_n_d _a_r_g...] DESCRIPTION The _x_a_u_t_h program is used to edit and display the authoriza- tion information used in connecting to the X server. This program is usually to extract authorization records from one machine and merge them in on another (as is the case when using remote logins or to grant access to other users). Commands (described below) may be entered interactively, on the _x_a_u_t_h command line, or in scripts. Note that this pro- gram does nnnnooootttt contact the X server. OPTIONS The following options may be used with _x_a_u_t_h. They may be given individually (e.g. -_q -_i) or may combined (e.g. -_q_i): ----ffff _a_u_t_h_f_i_l_e This option specifies the name of the authority file to use. By default, _x_a_u_t_h will use the file speci- fied by the XAUTHORITY environment variable or ._X_a_u_- _t_h_o_r_i_t_y in the user's home directory. ----qqqq This option indicates that _x_a_u_t_h should operate quietly and not print unsolicited status messages. This is the default if an _x_a_u_t_h command is is given on the command line or if the standard output is not directed to a terminal. ----vvvv This option indicates that _x_a_u_t_h should operate ver- bosely and print status messages indicating the results of various operations (e.g. how many records have been read in or written out). This is the default if _x_a_u_t_h is reading commands from its stan- dard input and its standard output is directed to a terminal. ----iiii This option indicates that _x_a_u_t_h should ignore any authority file locks. Normally, _x_a_u_t_h will refuse to read or edit any authority files that have been locked by other programs (usually _x_d_m or another _x_a_u_t_h). ----bbbb This option indicates that _x_a_u_t_h should attempt to break any authority file locks before proceeding and should only be used to clean up stale locks. COMMANDS The following commands may be used to manipulate authority files: Rev. Release 5 Page 1 XAUTH(1) AIX XAUTH(1) aaaadddddddd _d_i_s_p_l_a_y_n_a_m_e _p_r_o_t_o_c_o_l_n_a_m_e _h_e_x_k_e_y An authorization entry for the indicated display using the given protocol and key data is added to the authorization file. The data is specified as an even-lengthed string of hexadecimal digits, each pair representing one octet. The first digit of each pair gives the most significant 4 bits of the octet and the second digit of the pairgives the least significant 4 bits. For example, a 32 charac- ter hexkey would represent a 128-bit value. A pro- tocol name consisting of just a single period is treated as an abbreviation for _M_I_T-_M_A_G_I_C-_C_O_O_K_I_E-_1. [[[[nnnn]]]]eeeexxxxttttrrrraaaacccctttt _f_i_l_e_n_a_m_e _d_i_s_p_l_a_y_n_a_m_e... Authorization entries for each of the specified displays are written to the indicated file. If the _n_e_x_t_r_a_c_t command is used, the entries are written in a numeric format suitable for non-binary transmis- sion (such as secure electronic mail). The extracted entries can be read back in using the _m_e_r_g_e and _n_m_e_r_g_e commands. If the the filename con- sists of just a single dash, the entries will be written to the standard output. [[[[nnnn]]]]lllliiiisssstttt [_d_i_s_p_l_a_y_n_a_m_e...] Authorization entries for each of the specified displays (or all if no displays are named) are printed on the standard output. If the _n_l_i_s_t com- mand is used, entries will be shown in the numeric format used by the _n_e_x_t_r_a_c_t command; otherwise, they are shown in a textual format. Key data is always displayed in the hexadecimal format given in the description of the _a_d_d command. [[[[nnnn]]]]mmmmeeeerrrrggggeeee [_f_i_l_e_n_a_m_e...] Authorization entries are read from the specified files and are merged into the authorization data- base, superceding any matching existing entries. If the _n_m_e_r_g_e command is used, the numeric format given in the description of the _e_x_t_r_a_c_t command is used. If a filename consists of just a single dash, the standard input will be read if it hasn't been read before. rrrreeeemmmmoooovvvveeee _d_i_s_p_l_a_y_n_a_m_e... Authorization entries matching the specified displays are removed from the authority file. ssssoooouuuurrrrcccceeee _f_i_l_e_n_a_m_e The specified file is treated as a script containing _x_a_u_t_h commands to execute. Blank lines and lines beginning with a sharp sign (#) are ignored. A sin- gle dash may be used to indicate the standard input, Rev. Release 5 Page 2 XAUTH(1) AIX XAUTH(1) if it hasn't already been read. iiiinnnnffffoooo Information describing the authorization file, whether or not any changes have been made, and from where _x_a_u_t_h commands are being read is printed on the standard output. eeeexxxxiiiitttt If any modifications have been made, the authority file is written out (if allowed), and the program exits. An end of file is treated as an implicit _e_x_i_t command. qqqquuuuiiiitttt The program exits, ignoring any modifications. This may also be accomplished by pressing the interrupt character. hhhheeeellllpppp [[[[_s_t_r_i_n_g]]]] A description of all commands that begin with the given string (or all commands if no string is given) is printed on the standard output. ???? A short list of the valid commands is printed on the standard output. DISPLAY NAMES Display names for the _a_d_d, [_n]_e_x_t_r_a_c_t, [_n]_l_i_s_t, [_n]_m_e_r_g_e, and _r_e_m_o_v_e commands use the same format as the DISPLAY environment variable and the common -_d_i_s_p_l_a_y command line argument. Display-specific information (such as the screen number) is unnecessary and will be ignored. Same-machine connections (such as local-host sockets, shared memory, and the Internet Protocol hostname _l_o_c_a_l_h_o_s_t) are referred to as _h_o_s_t_n_a_m_e/unix:_d_i_s_p_l_a_y_n_u_m_b_e_r so that local entries for dif- ferent machines may be stored in one authority file. EXAMPLE The most common use for _x_a_u_t_h is to extract the entry for the current display, copy it to another machine, and merge it into the user's authority file on the remote machine: % xauth extract - $DISPLAY | rsh other xauth merge - ENVIRONMENT This _x_a_u_t_h program uses the following environment variables: XXXXAAAAUUUUTTTTHHHHOOOORRRRIIIITTTTYYYY to get the name of the authority file to use if the -_f option isn't used. If this variable is not set, _x_a_u_t_h will use ._X_a_u_t_h_o_r_i_t_y in the user's home direc- tory. HHHHOOOOMMMMEEEE to get the user's home directory if XAUTHORITY isn't defined. Rev. Release 5 Page 3 XAUTH(1) AIX XAUTH(1) BUGS Users that have unsecure networks should take care to use encrypted file transfer mechanisms to copy authorization entries between machines. Similarly, the _M_I_T-_M_A_G_I_C-_C_O_O_K_I_E-_1 protocol is not very useful in unsecure environments. Sites that are interested in additional security may need to use encrypted authorization mechanisms such as Kerberos. Spaces are currently not allowed in the protocol name. Quoting could be added for the truly perverse. COPYRIGHT Copyright 1989, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. See _X(_1) for a full statement of rights and permissions. AUTHOR Jim Fulton, MIT X Consortium Rev. Release 5 Page 4