Lock screen after auto login Debian/Ubuntu

Question

My situation:

Need auto login for my Wheezy.
Sometimes I'm away from my PC when it rebootsso I need to lock the screen after auto login.

When I type /usr/bin/gnome-screensaver-command -l it locks fine. But adding it to startup applications somehow does not work.

Any ideas how to solve my problem?

Alois Mahdal · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-17 21:27:40Z

4

Create executable script and add it to startup applications instead of screensaver initialization; this should work fine:

/usr/bin/gnome-screensaver &
sleep 1
/usr/bin/gnome-screensaver-command -l

When you add gnome-screensaver-command -l to startup, it runs when screensaver isn't fully initialized. Because of that it doesn't work.

Alois Mahdal

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answered Aug 24, 2014 at 19:34

luc

412 bronze badges

1

I'm surprised this is not a built in option. Works well though. Any ideas about how insecure this might be?
– pcnate
Commented Oct 22, 2015 at 23:32
@pcnate depends if physical access is part of your threat model. If it is, then security hinges on data encryption. If it isn't, it's irrelevant as this only affects physical access.
– tcnj
Commented Jun 7, 2019 at 15:45
@tcnj I meant the option to securely create a user session without ever unlocking the screen. Sessions starts, performs auto launches etc but having the locked screen and never rendering any of it to a visible monitor and never accepting any input from hardware until the lock screen provides authenticated access to that session
– pcnate
Commented Jun 7, 2019 at 20:47
1

@pcnate I was trying to communicate the fact that if they have the physical access to the device, there are plenty of ways to gain a root shell or equivalent anyway, making it slightly pointless.
– tcnj
Commented Jun 8, 2019 at 19:28
1

@tcnj Indeed, physical access equals root access. The only thing it does it to look "secure". In some companies, there are policies that a screen must automatically lock withing three minutes after one leaves his desk...for security. I know, your rib cage is now hurting pretty bad from laughing, but the answer could be exactly what's needed to pacify the "security experts".
– Klaws
Commented Feb 8, 2020 at 9:52

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