Secure attention key
Template:Short description A secure attention key (SAK), special attention key,[1] or secure attention sequence (SAS)[2] is a special key, key combination or sequence to be pressed on a computer keyboard before a login screen which must, to the user, be completely trustworthy. The operating system kernel, which interacts directly with the hardware, or init system is able to detect whether the secure attention key has been pressed. When this event is detected, the trusted login processing is started.
The secure attention key is designed to make login spoofing impossible, as the kernel will suspend any program, including those masquerading as the computer's login process, before starting a trustable login operation.
Examples
Some examples are:
- Script error: No such module "key".: Introduced in systemd v257 as a more reliable SAK for Linux distributions but may require support from the currently running desktop environment.[3] It is implemented as of gdm (GNOME display manager) 47.[4]
- Script error: No such module "key". on X Window System immediately kills the X server (although the key combination can be disabled[5]) and can be used to quickly and easily get back to the login prompt.[6]
- Script error: No such module "key". default sequence for Linux.[7] Not a true C2-compliant SAK.[8]
- Script error: No such module "key". then Script error: No such module "key". on AIX,[9] but it can be disabled.[10][11]
- Script error: No such module "key". for PLATO IV in the 1970s.[12]
- Script error: No such module "key". for Windows NT.[2][13]
See also
References
Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lennart Poettering (2024-11-07). "Lennart Poettterin on Mastodon". Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Microsoft (7 January 2021). "S (Security Glossary) - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn". Retrieved 2023-04-02.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Lennart Poettering (2024-11-07). "Lennart Poettterin on Mastodon". Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ray Strode (2024-09-11). "47.rc". Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.dhcp198-158 (2010-06-12). "XorgCtrlAltBackspace". Retrieved 2025-03-26.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Enabling the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace Shortcut". Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Andrew Morton (2001-03-18). "Linux 2.4.2 Secure Attention Key (SAK) handling". Linux Kernel Organization. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Linux Magic System Request Key Hacks". kernel.org. 2013-08-12. Retrieved 2017-05-21.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.IBM (2025-02-03). "Using the Secure Attention Key". IBM. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.IBM (2025-02-03). "Configuring the Secure Attention Key". IBM. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.IBM (2025-02-20). "AIX Default Attributes". IBM. Retrieved 2025-03-26.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Control Data Corporation (1981-04-30). "PLATO User's Guide" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-04-21.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Secure Attention Sequence (SAS) - Network Encyclopedia". 6 January 2020. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
