A tiny feature I liked in Windows 10 is that as soon as you finish entering your login pin, the computer automatically logs you in; you don't have to hit the enter key to log in. It's a tiny convenience but something I miss after switching from Windows. Since Linux is known for its customization, I wondered if something similar could be implemented in Ubuntu. My Ubuntu version is Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS.
Asked
Active
Viewed 1,103 times
1 Answers
1
To make a Linux login automatic once the correct password is matched without pressing Enter, you'll need to modify the behavior of the login prompt. This requires modifying the login program, which is typically "Getty",https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Getty
- Modify Getty: Getty handles the login prompts. You would need to modify its source code to automatically proceed once the password is correctly entered.
- Custom PAM Module: Create a custom PAM (Pluggable Authentication Module) that can authenticate the user once the password matches.
This involves a deep understanding of C programming, the Linux PAM system, and security implications. Here’s a high-level overview:
Step-by-Step Outline
- Download the source code for getty (part of util-linux package).
- Modify the part of the code where it waits for the Enter key after password input to immediately authenticate once the password matches.
- Recompile the modified agetty and replace the existing one.
- Write a custom PAM module that handles the immediate authentication.
- Update the PAM configuration to use your custom module.
