Re: [gdm-list] My questions

["Philippe C. Martin" <pmartin snakecard com>]

Brian,

Thank you!

Yet my questions are not related to smart cards in the sense that I've already 
covered all of my issues (but one) with smart cards under GNU/Linux.

I came here as a gdm newbie though, as all of my smart card applications 
support GNU/Linux except for one: how to use my cards to logon to an 
Xsession.

Under Windows I had two ways: write a CSP (plugin)  and hookup to the original 
GINA, or rewrite the GINA (although the CSP is about to disappear, I am not 
certain my solution "rewrite" the GINA was the most intelligent one ... yet 
it works)

I am looking for my options under GNU/Linux and feel I am basically in front 
of the same problem:

1) use any type of extension current logon program (gdm, kdm, xdm .....) 
have .... if they do!
2) hack or rewrite one of them :-(
3) add what is necessary to #1 to do something clean

I assume you guys who worked on gdm can tell me whether there are "hooks" 
available to add my "plugin", or where it is I should create those hooks and 
integrate them into gdm so:

1) the basic plugin hook system would be GPL (source in gdm)
2) other vendors could hook up easily to #1 - i want to promote GNU/Linux here
3) the vendors that need to hide some crypto in their attached modules (that 
is my case) would not have to release the code (ex: shared library of some 
sort).


If that's OK, I'll try to describe my problem by explaining how I rewrote GINA  
- I will not bother you with details but sometimes my questions do need 
rephrasing ;-)
*******************************
0) "winlogon" is a windows process that "talks" to the gina installed
1.a ) In logged-out state, users can press ctrl-alt-del to access the usual 
windows login dialog ===> winlogon sends a ctrl-atl-del to the gina which 
pops-up a dialog box with three fields: username, password, domain: the gina 
just passes that info to windows to start a new session
1.b)  In logged-out state, users can insert a smart card === winlogon, sends a 
smart card inserted event to the GINA which: recognizes the card, pops-up a 
dialog with one field "PIN code", fetches that field, gives it to the card, 
and if OK grabs the username, password and domain from the card and launches 
a windows session.

2+) in logged-in state, the events can also be ctrl-alt-del wich trigger 
loggoff or shutdown or ..... or card removal which triggers a  screen lock.

3) the screen-lock state also has a new popup: insert card to reenter the 
session, or be able to logoff/shutdown/reboot ...
*******************************
I am not saying this is the right way to do it or that I want to do it that 
way, my question is more:

1) can this (or something like this) be done somehow in the current gdm 
architecture ?
2) how or rather where :-)

I feel hacking gdm would be a crying shame, and I would be ready to add 
whatever is necessary to make the above possible while staying GPL and 
protecting my rypto/proprietary issues.


Quid ?


Thanks again and regards,

Philippe




On Tuesday 04 October 2005 07:09 pm, Brian Cameron wrote:
> Philippe:
> > I have asked a few questions in this ng and have yet to receive any
> > answer, is it that my questions are irrelevant, stupid, or is this not
> > the correct ng to ask them ?
> >
> > If the latter is correct, please let me know and I will stop polluting
> > this list.
>
> I believe you are asking about your recent questions about SmartCard usage.
> The gdm-list is not a bad place to ask questions about this topic since
> SmartCards do relate to the gdm login program.  At any rate, I don't feel
> you are polluting the list.
>
> If nobody is responding to your questions, this may simply mean that
> nobody on the list knows the answers to your questions.  You might try
> some forums where SmartCard is discussed more specifically.  I don't
> really know where to point you, but a quick Google search brought up
> a few ideas:
>
>    http://www.linuxnet.com/list.html
>    http://www.opencard.org/
>
> You might try Google too.  Sorry I am not more help.
>
> Brian

-- 
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Philippe C. Martin
SnakeCard, LLC
www.snakecard.com
+1 405 694 8098
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