fingerd(1Mtcp)
fingerd --
remote user information server
Synopsis
in.fingerd
Description
The fingerd command
implements the server side of the Name/Finger protocol,
specified in
RFC 742.
The Name/Finger protocol provides a remote interface to programs
which display information on system status and individual users.
The protocol imposes little structure on the format of the
exchange between client and server.
The client provides a single command line to the finger
server which returns a printable reply.
Files
/var/utmp-
who is logged in
/etc/passwd-
for users' names
/var/adm/lastlog-
last login times
$HOME/.plan-
plans
$HOME/.project-
projects
Usage
fingerd
waits for connections on
TCP
port 79.
Once connected it reads a single command line
terminated by a
RETURN-LINE-FEED
which is passed to
finger(1tcp).
fingerd closes its connections as soon as the output is finished.
If the line is null (only a
RETURN-LINE-FEED
is sent) then
finger
returns a default report that lists all users logged into
the system at that moment.
If a user name is specified (for instance, eric
RETURN-LINE-FEED),
then the response lists more extended information for only that particular user,
whether logged in or not.
Allowable names in the command line include both login names
and user names.
If a name is ambiguous, all possible derivations are returned.
References
finger(1tcp)
RFC 742
Notices
Connecting directly to the server from a
TIP
or an equally narrow-minded
TELNET
protocol user program can result
in meaningless attempts at option negotiation being sent to the
server, which will foul up the command line interpretation.
fingerd
should be taught to filter out
IACs,
and perhaps even respond
negatively (IAC will not)
to all option commands received.
© 2004 The SCO Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
UnixWare 7 Release 7.1.4 - 25 April 2004