1VLOCK(1)                    General Commands Manual                   VLOCK(1)
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NAME

6       vlock - Virtual Console lock program
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SYNOPSIS

9       vlock
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11       vlock [ -a,--all ] [ -c,--current ] [ -h,--help ] [ -v,--version ]
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DESCRIPTION

14       vlock  is  a program to lock one or more sessions on the Linux console.
15       This is especially useful for Linux machines which have multiple  users
16       with  access  to  the console.  One user may lock his or her session(s)
17       while still allowing other users to use the  system  on  other  virtual
18       consoles.   If  desired,  the  entire console may be locked and virtual
19       console switching disabled.
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21       By default, only the current VC (virtual console) is locked.  With  the
22       -a,-all  option  all VCs are locked.  The locked VCs cannot be unlocked
23       without the invoker's password.  And, for the paranoid, vlock makes  it
24       a  trying  experience  for  those  attempting to guess the password, so
25       unauthorized access to session(s) is highly unlikely.
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27       Please note that it is entirely possible to  completely  lock  yourself
28       out of the console with the -a,--all option if you cannot remember your
29       password!  Unless you are able to kill vlock by logging in remotely via
30       a  serial  terminal  or  network,  a  hard  reset is the only method of
31       ``unlocking'' the display.
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33       vlock works for console sessions primarily.  However, there is  support
34       for  trying  to lock non-console sessions as well, but that support has
35       not been well tested.
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OPTIONS

38       -a,--all
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40              Lock all console sessions and disable VC switching.
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42       -c,--current
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44              Lock the current session (this is the default).
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46       -h,--help
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48              Print a brief help message.
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50       -v,--version
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52              Print the version number of vlock.
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AUTHOR

55       Michael K. Johnson <johnsonm@redhat.com>
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59Linux User's Manual               16 May 1996                         VLOCK(1)