# fingerd(8)

## NAME

         fingerd, in.fingerd - remote user information server

## SYNOPSIS

         finger stream tcp nowait nobody /usr/sbin/in.fingerd in.fingerd
         tcpd finger /usr/sbin/in.fingerd in.fingerd

## DESCRIPTION

         Fingerd is a simple protocol based on RFC742 that provides  an  interface
         to the Name and Finger programs at several network sites.  The program 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''.

         Fingerd listens for TCP requests at port 79.  Once connected it  reads  a
         single  command line terminated by a <CRLF> which is passed to finger(1).
         Fingerd closes its connections as soon as the output is finished.

         If the line is null (i.e. just a <CRLF> is sent) then  finger  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.

## SEE ALSO

         finger(1).

## 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.  Fingerd should be taught to filter out IAC's and perhaps
         even respond negatively (IAC WON'T) to all option commands received.