Simple Finder w/Safari access to terminal prob
I would like to configure a 'guest' user on a system (10.2.6) using the Simple Finder, that will only have access to a web browser, in this case Safari, but won't be able to access the command line.
The problem I'm having is that a user can access the command line from Safari by typing "telnet:" into the address box. This opens two windows in terminal: 1) a window in which the telnet process attempts to run (and if no telnet address is given, exits immediately), and 2) an additional window with a command shell.
I attempted to prevent this additional command shell window from opening by changing the guest user's shell to /dev/null, which does prevent a user from doing a console (text mode) login as 'guest'. This, however, hasn't worked: Now, on typing "telnet:" into the Safari address box (as before) I get the same two windows as before, except that the additional command shell window opens with bash instead of whatever the user's shell had been set to before -- I assume bash is some sort of a default shell under OS X. Fiddling with the Terminal prefs didn't solve the problem.
Anyone have any suggestions?
[Edit:] Another way to state the problem (I think): Is there any way to make Terminal app start without opening a terminal window?
The problem I'm having is that a user can access the command line from Safari by typing "telnet:" into the address box. This opens two windows in terminal: 1) a window in which the telnet process attempts to run (and if no telnet address is given, exits immediately), and 2) an additional window with a command shell.
I attempted to prevent this additional command shell window from opening by changing the guest user's shell to /dev/null, which does prevent a user from doing a console (text mode) login as 'guest'. This, however, hasn't worked: Now, on typing "telnet:" into the Safari address box (as before) I get the same two windows as before, except that the additional command shell window opens with bash instead of whatever the user's shell had been set to before -- I assume bash is some sort of a default shell under OS X. Fiddling with the Terminal prefs didn't solve the problem.
Anyone have any suggestions?
[Edit:] Another way to state the problem (I think): Is there any way to make Terminal app start without opening a terminal window?
Comments
Originally posted by ThinkingDifferent
You could restrict access to telnet by performing a chmod and removing the execute bit for others. Just make sure your userid is in the wheel group.
If I had to, I suppose... I'm not too keen on eliminating the ability to telnet along with Terminal though. Would it be possible to use an alternate telnet app that could be set as the helper from Safari (how does one set helpers in OS X?), that are telnet only -- no terminal? That way Terminal's insistance on opening an additional window after a failed telnet connection could just be bypassed.
Anyone have any idea why setting the user's shell to /dev/null doesn't prevent Terminal from opening a shell (bash) for the user? This does prevent a console (text mode) login, but opening Terminal gives and error, "/dev/null: Permission Denied", and then bash. Is this OS X specific? Terminal.app specific?
Originally posted by jginsbu
If I had to, I suppose... I'm not too keen on eliminating the ability to telnet along with Terminal though.
?? The guest user can't, you still can. (because he can't start terminal.app anymore)