Lesson plan
Login session
8.04. In computing, a login session (or logon session on Windows NT-based systems) is the period of activity between a user logging in and logging out of a (multi-user) operating system. On Unix and Unix-like operating systems, a login session takes one of two main forms: * When a textual user interface is used, a login session is represented as a kernel session — a collection of process groups with the logout action managed by a session leader. * Where an X display manager is employed, a login session is considered to be the lifetime of a designated user process that the display manager invokes. On Windows NT-based systems, logon sessions are maintained by the kernel, and control of them is overseen by the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS). On user authentication, Winlogon requests LSA to create a logon session and a corresponding token including a logon ID, a 64-bit value identifying the session. Each process started on the system is tied to a token. On logout, the system requests all of the processes belonging to a logon session to close. Windows has three logon sessions that start on boot, with hardcoded logon IDs: SYSTEM (logon ID 999 / 0x3e7 ), Local Service ( 997 / 0x3e5 ), and Network Service ( 996 / 0x3e4 ). A special type of logon session also exists for null sessions.
Article summary
8.04. In computing, a login session (or logon session on Windows NT-based systems) is the period of activity between a user logging in and logging out of a (multi-user) operating system. On Unix and Unix-like operating systems, a login session takes one of two main forms: * When a textual user interface is used, a login session is represented as a kernel session — a collection of process groups with the logout action managed by a session leader. * Where an X display manager is employed, a login session is considered to be the lifetime of a designated user process that the display manager invokes. On Windows NT-based systems, logon sessions are maintained by the kernel, and control of them is overseen by the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS). On user authentication, Winlogon requests LSA to create a logon session and a corresponding token including a logon ID, a 64-bit value identifying the session. Each process started on the system is tied to a token. On logout, the system requests all of the processes belonging to a logon session to close. Windows has three logon sessions that start on boot, with hardcoded logon IDs: SYSTEM (logon ID 999 / 0x3e7 ), Local Service ( 997 / 0x3e5 ), and Network Service ( 996 / 0x3e4 ). A special type of logon session also exists for null sessions.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.