Customised Security Banner for ESX Service Console Login

Information

Title: 

Customised Security Banner for ESX Service Console Login

Author(s): 

Xtravirt (Paul Davey)

Target Audience: 

Technical - Novice

First Published: 

1 April 2008

Products: 

VMware ESX Server

UID: 

XD10046

Guide to customising a security banner for the ESX Server Service Console Login screen

1.0 Overview

You may wish to show a security banner to users logging on to the ESX Service Console. This is very simple to do, although be aware that you may need to change more than just the one file.

1.1 Console Connection

The files that you will need to change are all stored in /etc.

issue - used for direct console access (i.e. physically at the server or over HP iLO or equivalent)

motd - to display information after the login (message of the day)

Just add your banner notice at the end of the file. Once the file is saved the changes are immediate for any user who logging on.

1.2 SSH Connections:

To create a banner for ssh connections you need to do something slightly different. Using nano, firstly create a file to hold you banner information, for example my-banner in the /etc/ssh folder. Then using nano again, edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file and unremark the Banner line which is located near the end of the file.

Amend the line to contain the path of your banner file, for example,

Banner /etc/ssh/my-banner

The ssh service needs to be restarted to have this change take effect.

To restart the SSH service, enter service sshd restart at the console

Above: The banner displayed over an iLO connection (using the issue file)

Above: The banner displayed over an SSH remote connection

References

References: 

1. Nil

Links: 

1. Nil