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FINGERD(8)                               BSD System Manager's Manual                              FINGERD(8)

NAME
     fingerd -- remote user information server

SYNOPSIS
     fingerd [-s] [-l] [-p filename]

DESCRIPTION
     The fingerd utility uses a simple protocol based on RFC1196 that provides an interface to finger(1) at
     several network sites.  It is supposed to return a friendly, human-oriented status report on either the
     system at the moment or a particular person in depth.  There is no required format and the protocol
     consists mostly of specifying a single ``command line'', thus, fingerd can also be used to implement
     other protocols in conjunction with the -p flag.

     The fingerd utility is started by launchd(8), which listens for TCP requests at port 79.  Once con-nected connected
     nected it reads a single command line terminated by a <CRLF> which is passed to finger(1).  The fingerd
     utility closes its connections as soon as the output is finished.

     If the line is null (i.e., just a <CRLF> is sent) then finger(1) returns a ``default'' report that
     lists all people logged into the system at that moment.

     If a user name is specified (e.g. eric<CRLF>) then the response lists more extended information for
     only that particular user, whether logged in or not.  Allowable ``names'' in the command line include
     both ``login names'' and ``user names''.  If a name is ambiguous, all possible derivations are
     returned.

     The following options may be passed to fingerd as server program arguments in
     /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/finger.plist:

     -s      Enable secure mode.  Queries without a user name are rejected and forwarding of queries to
             other remote hosts is denied.

     -l      Enable logging.  The name of the host originating the query is reported via syslog(3) at
             LOG_NOTICE priority.

     -p      Use an alternate program as the local information provider.  The default local program executed
             by fingerd is finger(1).  By specifying a customized local server, this option allows a system
             manager to have more control over what information is provided to remote sites.  If -p is spec-ified, specified,
             ified, fingerd will also set the environment variable FINGERD_REMOTE_HOST to the name of the
             host making the request.

SEE ALSO
     finger(1), launchd(8)

HISTORY
     The fingerd utility appeared in 4.3BSD.

BUGS
     Connecting directly to the server from a TIP or an equally narrow-minded TELNET-protocol user program
     can result in meaningless attempts at option negotiation being sent to the server, which will foul up
     the command line interpretation.  The fingerd utility should be taught to filter out IAC's and perhaps
     even respond negatively (IAC WON'T) to all option commands received.

BSD                                             June 4, 1993                                             BSD