Novell Doc: OES 1 - SECURE CONSOLE

1.155 SECURE CONSOLE

Use at the server console to increase network security by

Preventing loadable modules from being loaded from any directory other than the boot directories—sys:system or c:\nwserver
Preventing keyboard entry into the operating system debugger
Preventing the server date and time from being changed

SECURE CONSOLE

When you execute SECURE CONSOLE, path specifiers are disabled. The sys:system search path remains in effect, but you cannot create new search paths.
Use of SECURE CONSOLE is recommended, especially in security-sensitive environments. SECURE CONSOLE prevents the following types of breaches in security:
- Trojan Horse modules. If you don't use SECURE CONSOLE, a module can be loaded from a DOS partition, a diskette drive, or any directory on a NetWare® volume.
  
  If you allow modules to be loaded from all these drives, anyone who has access to the server console can load a loadable module. An intruder could create a module to access or alter any information on the server, or to change user account information at the server security level.
- Date and Time Modifications. Some security and accounting features (such as password expiration, time restrictions, intruder detection, and lockout intervals) depend on date and time for their enforcement.
  
  If you don't use SECURE CONSOLE, an intruder can change the date and time at the server and bypass these time-dependent features.
To disable SECURE CONSOLE, use DOWN to bring down the server in an orderly way, and then reboot the server.

Topic	See
Server console	The Server Console in the Server Operating System for NetWare Administration Guide for OES
Screen saver and console lock	Section 1.153, SCRSAVER