In computing, a login session is the period of activity between a user
logging in
In computer security, logging in (or logging on, signing in, or signing on) is the process by which an individual gains access to a computer system by identifying and authenticating themselves. The user credentials are typically some form ...
and
logging out of a (multi-user)
system.
On
Unix
Unix (; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, whose development started in 1969 at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, a ...
and
Unix-like
A Unix-like (sometimes referred to as UN*X or *nix) operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, although not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification. A Unix-li ...
operating systems, a login session takes one of two main forms:
* When a
textual user interface
In computing, text-based user interfaces (TUI) (alternately terminal user interfaces, to reflect a dependence upon the properties of computer terminals and not just text), is a retronym describing a type of user interface (UI) common as an ear ...
is used, a login session is represented as a
kernel
Kernel may refer to:
Computing
* Kernel (operating system), the central component of most operating systems
* Kernel (image processing), a matrix used for image convolution
* Compute kernel, in GPGPU programming
* Kernel method, in machine lea ...
session — a collection of
process groups with the logout action manage
*
On
Windows NT
Windows NT is a proprietary graphical operating system produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released on July 27, 1993. It is a processor-independent, multiprocessing and multi-user operating system.
The first version of Wi ...
-based systems, login sessions are maintained by the kernel and control of them is within the purview of the
Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSA).
winlogon responds to the
secure attention key, it requests the LSA to create login sessions on login, and terminates all of the processes belonging to a login session on logout.
See also
*
Windows NT Startup Process
*
Architecture of the Windows NT operating system line
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...
*
Booting
In computing, booting is the process of starting a computer as initiated via Computer hardware, hardware such as a button or by a software command. After it is switched on, a computer's central processing unit (CPU) has no software in its ma ...
*
Master boot record
A master boot record (MBR) is a special type of boot sector at the very beginning of partitioned computer mass storage devices like fixed disks or removable drives intended for use with IBM PC-compatible systems and beyond. The concept of MB ...
*
Power-on self test
*
Windows Vista Startup Process
*
BootVis
BootVis is a Microsoft computer application that allows "PC system designers and software developers" (not aimed at end-users) to check how long a Windows XP machine takes to boot, and then to optimize the boot process, sometimes considerably redu ...
Further reading
*
Operating system technology
{{operating-system-stub