[plug] ssh, su, screen. Conflict?

[Cameron Patrick]

Lyndon Maydwell wrote:

> This results in a message saying:
> 
>         Cannot open your terminal "/dev/pts/4" - please check.

I don't think it's really a bug, more "broken as designed"; it's
nevertheless annoying.

Note that 'ssh $user at localhost' will get around it, but that won't
help if your purpose was to lock down SSH access.

> Maybe I'll just set up my regular user account to accept ssh
> connections and not worry about it, it's not like there are any holes
> in ssh I've heard of, but it sure is a pain not being able to resume
> screen sessions after changing user.

Well, there have been remote root compromises in SSH in the past so
being paranoid is not entirely unjustified.  One thing you might want
to consider is to run a separate sshd running on a non-standard port
with more secure settings than your normal one, and firewalling off
the normal one from outside access.

Cameron.