VLOCK(1)		     General Commands Manual			VLOCK(1)

NAME
     vlock - Virtual Console lock program

SYNOPSIS
     vlock

     vlock [ -a,--all ] [ -c,--current ] [ -h,--help ] [ -v,--version ]

DESCRIPTION
     vlock is a program to lock one or more sessions on the Linux console.  This
     is	 especially useful for Linux machines which have multiple users with ac-
     cess to the console.  One user may lock his or her session(s)  while  still
     allowing  other  users to use the system on other virtual consoles.  If de-
     sired, the entire console may be locked and virtual console switching  dis-
     abled.

     By	 default,  only	 the  current  VC (virtual console) is locked.	With the
     -a,-all option all VCs are locked.	 The locked VCs cannot be unlocked with-
     out the invoker's password.  And, for the paranoid, vlock makes it a trying
     experience for those attempting to guess the password, so unauthorized  ac-
     cess to session(s) is highly unlikely.

     Please note that it is entirely possible to completely lock yourself out of
     the  console with the -a,--all option if you cannot remember your password!
     Unless you are able to kill vlock by logging in remotely via a serial  ter-
     minal or network, a hard reset is the only method of ``unlocking'' the dis-
     play.

     vlock  works for console sessions primarily.  However, there is support for
     trying to lock non-console sessions as well, but that support has not  been
     well tested.

OPTIONS
     -a,--all

	    Lock all console sessions and disable VC switching.

     -c,--current

	    Lock the current session (this is the default).

     -h,--help

	    Print a brief help message.

     -v,--version

	    Print the version number of vlock.

AUTHORS
     Michael K. Johnson <johnsonm@redhat.com>

SEE ALSO
     chvt(1), deallocvt(1), openvt(1)

kbd				   16 May 1996				VLOCK(1)