How to use the command 'lslogins' (with examples)

The ’lslogins’ command is used to obtain information about users on a Linux system. It provides various options to display different aspects of user accounts, groups, and login details.

Use case 1: Display users in the system

Code:

lslogins

Motivation: This use case is useful to quickly get an overview of all the users present on the Linux system.

Explanation: The ’lslogins’ command, when used without any options, displays information about all the users in the system. It provides details such as user ID, group ID, home directory, and user account status.

Example output:

   UID USER       USER_NAME.   GROUP_ID HOME_DIRECTORY              SHELL
  1001 user1      User One      1001     /home/user1                  /bin/bash
  1002 user2      User Two      1002     /home/user2                  /bin/bash
  1003 user3      User Three    1003     /home/user3                  /bin/bash

Use case 2: Display users belonging to a specific group

Code:

lslogins --groups=group_name

Motivation: This use case is helpful to find users who are members of a specific group. It allows for easy identification and management of group members.

Explanation: The ‘–groups’ option followed by a group name specifies that only users belonging to that particular group should be displayed.

Example output:

   UID USER       USER_NAME.   GROUP_ID HOME_DIRECTORY              SHELL
  1001 user1      User One      1001     /home/user1                  /bin/bash
  1002 user2      User Two      1002     /home/user2                  /bin/bash

Use case 3: Display user accounts

Code:

lslogins --user-accs

Motivation: This use case is useful to get a list of all the user accounts present on the system. It helps in monitoring and managing user accounts.

Explanation: The ‘–user-accs’ option displays all the user accounts available on the Linux system.

Example output:

   UID USER       USER_NAME.   GROUP_ID HOME_DIRECTORY              SHELL
  1001 user1      User One      1001     /home/user1                  /bin/bash
  1002 user2      User Two      1002     /home/user2                  /bin/bash
  1003 user3      User Three    1003     /home/user3                  /bin/bash

Use case 4: Display last logins

Code:

lslogins --last

Motivation: This use case helps in checking the last login details of users. It provides insights into user activity and can aid in detecting potential security breaches.

Explanation: The ‘–last’ option displays the last login information, including the login time, duration, and terminal used, for all users on the Linux system.

Example output:

   UID USER       USER_NAME.   TERMINAL          LOGIN_TIME             DURATION   IP_ADDRESS
  1001 user1      User One      tty1              2022-01-01 10:00:00    00:10:00   192.168.0.1
  1002 user2      User Two      pts/0             2022-01-01 09:00:00    00:05:00   192.168.0.2
  1003 user3      User Three    pts/1             2022-01-01 08:00:00    00:15:00   192.168.0.3

Use case 5: Display system accounts

Code:

lslogins --system-accs

Motivation: This use case is helpful to identify system accounts separately from regular user accounts. System accounts are usually used for running system services and should be treated differently.

Explanation: The ‘–system-accs’ option displays only the system accounts present on the Linux system, excluding regular user accounts.

Example output:

   UID USER       USER_NAME.   GROUP_ID HOME_DIRECTORY              SHELL
  1001 user1      User One      1001     /home/user1                  /bin/bash
  1002 user2      User Two      1002     /home/user2                  /bin/bash

Use case 6: Display supplementary groups

Code:

lslogins --supp-groups

Motivation: This use case is helpful for identifying the supplementary groups a user belongs to. Supplementary groups provide additional privileges and determine access permissions.

Explanation: The ‘–supp-groups’ option displays the supplementary groups associated with each user on the Linux system.

Example output:

   UID USER       USER_NAME.   GROUP_ID HOME_DIRECTORY              SHELL       SUPPLEMENTARY_GROUPS
  1001 user1      User One      1001     /home/user1                  /bin/bash   group1,group2
  1002 user2      User Two      1002     /home/user2                  /bin/bash   group1
  1003 user3      User Three    1003     /home/user3                  /bin/bash   group2

Conclusion:

The ’lslogins’ command provides a versatile way to view information about users on a Linux system. By using different options, users, system accounts, group membership, and login details can be easily obtained. It is a valuable tool for system administrators and users alike in managing and monitoring user accounts.