[Tfug] can't start opera after su to other user

Jeffry Johnston tfug at kidsquid.com
Fri Jan 25 09:08:42 MST 2008


Try ssh -X instead of just ssh.

Jeff

On Jan 25, 2008 6:00 AM, christ <skeptikos at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >
> > This occurs because of X authentication.  In your home directory you should
> > see a .Xauthority file.  This controls who can display on the currently opened
> > X display.  When you 'su' to another user, you no longer have this file and X
> > won't display for security reasons.  In the before times, X had pretty bad
> > security and other people could cause windows to appear on your screen even
> > though you hadn't launched them, and this prevents that.
> >
> > There are a few ways around this:
> >
> > 1) ssh to the root account.  Normally, ssh will forward X connections, so if
>
> I'm sorry, I may not have been clear on this, b/c I was in a
> hurry when I wrote the email, but 'su root' allows me to start
> these programs. However, 'su anotheruser' does not. Incidently
> ssh root at localhost did not enable this.
>
> > 2) Copy /home/USER/.Xauthority to /root and then root will have permission to
> > fiddle with the running X display.
>
> Also did not work.
>
> >
> > 3) As a last resort, as the original user you can run 'xhost +' to allow any X
> > connection and that should work.
>
> This did work.
>
> > method will allow anybody to draw on your current X display.  Unless you're on
> > a private subnet with no port forwarding, this is very bad.
>
> I actually am on a private subnet with no port forwarding, but
> it still makes me nervous to run this. I might need ports
> forwarded in the future. does 'xhost +' survive reboots?
>
> I'll read the man page
>
> --
> christ <skeptikos at gmail.com>
>
>
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