rlogin

In computing, rlogin is a Unix program that allows users to log in on another host using a network. rlogin uses TCP port 513. It was first distributed as part of the 4.2BSD release. rlogin is also the name of the application layer protocol used by the software, also the protocol is part of the TCP/IP protocol suite.

The rlogin homepage is located at http://rlogin.sourceforge.net.

rlogin has several serious security problems, the most important are:

• All information, including passwords, is transmitted unencrypted (making it open to interception). There is a modern version, called Rlogin Kerberos, that uses the MIT Kerberos authentication technique.
• The protocol partially depends on the remote rlogin client to provide information honestly (including source port and source host name). A corrupt client is thus able to rebuild this and gain access.
• The protocol lacks any means of authenticating other machines' identities, ensuring that the rlogin client is running on a trusted machine, or if it is the real rlogin client.

Due to its serious problems, rlogin was rarely used across untrusted networks (like the public internet), and rlogin distributions are no longer included by default with many Unix and Linux distributions. Many networks which were depending on rlogin and telnet have replaced it with SSH and the rlogin secured equivalent slogin.

Related pages

• Internet protocol suite
• Communications protocol

Other websites

• http://rlogin.sourceforge.net