rpc.svcgssd(8)

💖 rpc.svcgssd — the server-side rpcsec_gss daemon 💖

okay bestie so this is rpc.svcgssd(8), and it lives in the System Manager's Manual section (section 8, the big-girl system admin section, we love her). she's a daemon, she's got main character energy, and she handles the security vibes for you. let's get into it. ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

rpc.svcgssd — server-side rpcsec_gss daemon 💅

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

rpc.svcgssd [-n] [-v] [-r] [-i] [-f] [-p principal]

that's it. that's the whole vibe check. 🦋

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

okay so first of all, the rpcsec_gss protocol? it gives you a way to use the gss-api generic security api to provide security for protocols that use rpc — and yes, especially nfs, the girlies know. 🫶

but here's the thing: before any rpc requests can be exchanged using rpcsec_gss, the rpc client has to first establish a security context with the rpc server. like, you gotta introduce yourself before you start talking, that's just manners. 💖

and the linux kernel's implementation of rpcsec_gss? she cannot do it alone. she depends on the userspace daemon rpc.svcgssd to handle that context establishment on the rpc server side. iconic teamwork, no cap. 👑

the daemon communicates with the kernel using files in the proc filesystem. that's the gossip channel, iykyk. 📁✨

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🌈 OPTIONS 🌈

• -f — runs rpc.svcgssd in the foreground and sends output to stderr instead of to syslogd. staying in the front like a main character. 💅
• -v — increases the verbosity of the output. and yes, you can specify it multiple times — stack it, queen. 📈
• -r — if the rpcsec_gss library supports setting debug level, this increases the verbosity of the output. also specifiable multiple times. 🎀
• -i — if the nfsidmap library supports setting debug level, this increases the verbosity of the output. you guessed it: specifiable multiple times. 🌸
• -p — use principal instead of the default nfs/FQDN@REALM. custom name, custom energy. ✨
• -n — use the system default credentials (host/FQDN@REALM) rather than the default nfs/FQDN@REALM. sometimes you just gotta show up as yourself. 💖

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🦋 CONFIGURATION FILE 🦋

some of the options you can slap on the command line can also be controlled through values set in the [svcgssd] section of the /etc/nfs.conf configuration file. it's giving options-on-options. the values recognized include:

• principal — if set to system this is equivalent to the -n option. if set to any other value, that value is used like the -p option.
• verbosity — value which is equivalent to the number of -v.
• rpc-verbosity — value which is equivalent to the number of -r.
• idmap-verbosity — value which is equivalent to the number of -i.

so you can either yell your flags at the terminal or whisper them into a config file. both are valid. 🙈

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💜 SEE ALSO 💜

rpc.gssd(8), — yes there's a trailing comma, she came that way, we respect her. 💅

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👑 AUTHORS 👑

the literal legends who built this:

• Dug Song <dugsong@umich.edu>
• Andy Adamson <andros@umich.edu>
• Marius Aamodt Eriksen <marius@umich.edu>
• J. Bruce Fields <bfields@umich.edu>

ate and left no crumbs, fr fr. 🔥

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bestie reminder: this is from the System Manager's Manual, dated 12 Jan 2007. old money, timeless slay. 🎀

and that's the whole page, mwah 💋 go establish some security contexts responsibly, ily, bye! 🦋✨💖