Re: Is OS authentication secure enough?

Bob Yeh wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I am running server 7.2 on Sun solaris 2.4(sql*net 2.2) with PC Window
> and UNIX clients. IS using OS authentication scure enough?
>
> I have more than one servers. Is it true TWO_TASK variable does not
> support OS authentication? What environment variable shuold I use to
> allow the user to login the proper server with a '/'.
>
> Thank you for your help.
>
> Bob

IMHO, you don't want to allow your clients to log in with a slash.

To enable that, you have to set REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT=TRUE. Remote_os_authent is not secure enough to use in a client/server environment where the client has the ability to change their OS username. With Win95, oracle uses your Windows username. So, all you have to do log into windows with the user that matches your ops$ account, and your in without specifying a password.

Having said that, using OS_AUTHENT_PREFIX=TRUE is a good way to allow accounts that log directly onto the server to log into oracle with a /. This enables you to set up batch jobs through cron without having to hard code passwords.

Hope this helps.

-- 
Bob Swisshelm
Eli Lilly and Company
swisshelm_at_lilly.com