Password and User Types in IGEL OS 12

The following article provides details on the user types and their roles in IGEL OS. You can configure passwords for the user types to protect your endpoint devices against unwanted changes. 

Menu path:  Security > Password

IGEL Setup Password Protection

Configure the administrator password to create the password protection for the IGEL Setup. You can also configure the setup administrator and the setup user to allow additional access to the IGEL Setup. For more information, see Setup .

The assignment of the administrator password is a prerequisite for all other rights assignments. Even if the administrator wants to leave the administration of the IGEL Setup to the setup administrator, the administrator password must be set.

If you do not configure any password, the IGEL Setup can be opened without password protection.

User Rights

The user types have the following access rights:

• Administrator: If configured, the administrator password protects the following critical actions/areas from unauthorized access:

  • IGEL Setup

  • Reset to factory defaults boot mode. (For more information, see Boot Menu in IGEL OS 12 .)

  • Accessing the local terminal as root. (For more information, see Terminals in IGEL OS .)

  • Virtual console access. (For more information, see Access Control to the Display in IGEL OS 12 .)

  • sessions, for which Administrator is set under Password protection. (For more information, see Starting Methods for Apps .)
    
    If configured, the administrator can access the following with a password:

  • Unlocking the screenlock. (For more information, see Options .)

  • Secure Shell  (SSH). (For more information, see SSH Access in IGEL OS 12 .)
    
    

• Setup administrator : If configured, the setup administrator can access the following with a password:

  • IGEL Setup
    
    

• Setup user : If configured, the setup user can access the following with a password:

  • IGEL Setup. (Unlike in OS 11, in OS 12 the Setup User can access all parts of Setup.)

  • sessions, for which Setup user is set under Password protection. (For more information, see Starting Methods for Apps .)

    

    If you configure a Setup user in OS 12, they have effectively the same Setup permissions as the Administrator. This includes running Custom Commands (command execution with privilege escalation).

• User : If configured, the user can access the following with a password:

  • the terminal session as user. (For more information, see Terminals in IGEL OS .)

  • sessions, for which User is set under Password protection. (For more information, see Starting Methods for Apps .)

You can also use the  User password for starting the screenlock:  User Interface > Screenlock / Screensaver >   Starting Methods for Session > Password protection. For details, see Screenlock / Screensaver in IGEL OS 12 .

However, note the following:  

The  User  is not the same as the local user configured under Security > Logon > Local User. For unlocking the screenlock, the local user password (not the user password) is used. For details, see Local User Login in IGEL OS 12 and Options .

• User account for remote access: If configured, the ruser can access the device via Secure Shell  (SSH). (For more information, see SSH Access in IGEL OS 12 .)

Administrator

Use password

☑ Administrator password protection is enabled and further user types can be configured. The password is set by clicking  Set password.

☐  Administrator access is granted without password protection. No password can be configured for the user (user), the setup user, and the setup administrator. (Default)

Change password

Click the button to set a new password.

Effects on local terminal access

Setting an administrator password has the following effects on the access to local terminals:

• For logging in as  root, the administrator password must be entered.

• Logging in as  user  is no longer possible by default. However, you can allow access for  user   by making the following settings:

• • Enable the registry key  system.security.usershell  (Default: Disabled).

  • Set a user password.

For logging in as  user, the user password will have to be entered.

Setup Administrator

Setup administrator access

This option is only available if an administrator password is set.

☑ The setup administrator can access the IGEL Setup with a password. The password is set by clicking  Set password.

☐ The setup administrator cannot access the IGEL Setup. (Default)

Change password

Click the button to set a new password.

Setup User

Setup user access

This option is only available if an administrator password is set.

☑ Setup user password protection is enabled. The password is set by clicking  Set password.

☐ The setup user cannot access the IGEL Setup. Sessions, for which Setup user is set under Password protection will not have password protection. (Default)

Change password

Click the button to set a new password.

User

Use password

This option is only available if an administrator password is set.

☑ User password protection is enabled. The password is set by clicking  Set password.

☐ If an administrator password is set, the user (user) cannot log in to the device via the local terminal. Sessions, for which User is set under Password protection will not have password protection. (Default)

Change password

Click the button to set a new password.

User Account for Remote Access

Enable login

☑ The remote user (ruser) can log in to the device via SSH. (Default)

☐ Logging in via SSH is not possible.

For further SSH access settings, see SSH Access in IGEL OS 12 .

Use password

☑ A password is needed to log in via SSH. The password is set by clicking  Set password.

☐ No password is needed to log in via SSH. (Default)

Change password

Click the button to set a new password.