Linux sign-in problems (approval, offline and service messages)

Linux sign-in with a second factor is in development. These are the messages the terminal or the sign-in screen will show, what causes them and what to do.

"Sign-in was not approved"

Cause: the request was declined on the phone, or nobody approved it in time.

Fix: sign in again and approve the new request. If you did not start a request that reached your phone, decline it with «It wasn't me» and tell your IT support.

"The code is not correct. Try again."

Cause: the comparison code, the app code or the offline code was mistyped, or the app code had already changed.

Fix: type the code shown now. If your authenticator app's codes never work, check the phone's clock (automatic time).

"No connection: remote sign-in is not possible right now."

Cause: the computer cannot reach the service, and SSH sign-in needs it.

Fix: wait for the network to return, or sign in at the computer itself with your offline code.

"No connection: type this computer's offline code"

Cause: the computer is offline. The number in brackets is how many offline sign-ins are left.

Fix: type the offline code for this computer from your authenticator app, or type R for the support challenge.

"Sign-in is not allowed right now. Contact IT support."

Cause: your organization's policy or computer settings refuse this sign-in, for example outside the allowed hours or because the computer was disabled.

Fix: contact IT support with the time and the computer's name.

"The AuthGuard service on this computer is not responding."

Cause: the agent on the computer stopped. By default the module then refuses sign-ins, except break-glass accounts and the support challenge at the console.

Fix (administrators): run authguard-agentd status and authguard-agentd selftest as root, check the service's log and restart it. During a pilot, fail=open on the module lets the password alone through while the agent is down.

When to escalate

• Several people get requests they did not start.
• A computer you do not recognise appears in your organization's list.
• Break-glass sign-ins you did not expect.

Escalate these to security straight away; they may be an attack.