---
title: Set the GNOME3 Login Warning Banner Text
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > OOTB Rules > Set the GNOME3 Login Warning Banner
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---

# Set the GNOME3 Login Warning Banner Text
 
## Description{% #description %}

In the default graphical environment, configuring the login warning banner text in the GNOME Display Manager's login screen can be configured on the login screen by setting `banner-message-text` to `'APPROVED_BANNER'` where *APPROVED\_BANNER* is the approved banner for your environment.

To enable, add or edit `banner-message-text` to `/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults`. For example:

```
[org/gnome/login-screen]
banner-message-text='APPROVED_BANNER'
```

After the settings have been set, run `dconf update`. When entering a warning banner that spans several lines, remember to begin and end the string with `'` and use `\n` for new lines.

## Rationale{% #rationale %}

An appropriate warning message reinforces policy awareness during the logon process and facilitates possible legal action against attackers.

## Remediation{% #remediation %}

### Shell script{% #shell-script %}

The following script can be run on the host to remediate the issue.

```bash
#!/bin/bash

# Remediation is applicable only in certain platforms
if dpkg-query --show --showformat='${db:Status-Status}' 'gdm3' 2>/dev/null | grep -q '^installed$'; then

login_banner_text='^(You[\s\n]+are[\s\n]+accessing[\s\n]+a[\s\n]+U\.S\.[\s\n]+Government[\s\n]+\(USG\)[\s\n]+Information[\s\n]+System[\s\n]+\(IS\)[\s\n]+that[\s\n]+is[\s\n]+provided[\s\n]+for[\s\n]+USG\-authorized[\s\n]+use[\s\n]+only\.[\s\n]+By[\s\n]+using[\s\n]+this[\s\n]+IS[\s\n]+\(which[\s\n]+includes[\s\n]+any[\s\n]+device[\s\n]+attached[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+this[\s\n]+IS\),[\s\n]+you[\s\n]+consent[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+the[\s\n]+following[\s\n]+conditions\:(?:[\n]+|(?:\\n)+)\-The[\s\n]+USG[\s\n]+routinely[\s\n]+intercepts[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+monitors[\s\n]+communications[\s\n]+on[\s\n]+this[\s\n]+IS[\s\n]+for[\s\n]+purposes[\s\n]+including,[\s\n]+but[\s\n]+not[\s\n]+limited[\s\n]+to,[\s\n]+penetration[\s\n]+testing,[\s\n]+COMSEC[\s\n]+monitoring,[\s\n]+network[\s\n]+operations[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+defense,[\s\n]+personnel[\s\n]+misconduct[\s\n]+\(PM\),[\s\n]+law[\s\n]+enforcement[\s\n]+\(LE\),[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+counterintelligence[\s\n]+\(CI\)[\s\n]+investigations\.(?:[\n]+|(?:\\n)+)\-At[\s\n]+any[\s\n]+time,[\s\n]+the[\s\n]+USG[\s\n]+may[\s\n]+inspect[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+seize[\s\n]+data[\s\n]+stored[\s\n]+on[\s\n]+this[\s\n]+IS\.(?:[\n]+|(?:\\n)+)\-Communications[\s\n]+using,[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+data[\s\n]+stored[\s\n]+on,[\s\n]+this[\s\n]+IS[\s\n]+are[\s\n]+not[\s\n]+private,[\s\n]+are[\s\n]+subject[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+routine[\s\n]+monitoring,[\s\n]+interception,[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+search,[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+may[\s\n]+be[\s\n]+disclosed[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+used[\s\n]+for[\s\n]+any[\s\n]+USG\-authorized[\s\n]+purpose\.(?:[\n]+|(?:\\n)+)\-This[\s\n]+IS[\s\n]+includes[\s\n]+security[\s\n]+measures[\s\n]+\(e\.g\.,[\s\n]+authentication[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+access[\s\n]+controls\)[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+protect[\s\n]+USG[\s\n]+interests\-\-not[\s\n]+for[\s\n]+your[\s\n]+personal[\s\n]+benefit[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+privacy\.(?:[\n]+|(?:\\n)+)\-Notwithstanding[\s\n]+the[\s\n]+above,[\s\n]+using[\s\n]+this[\s\n]+IS[\s\n]+does[\s\n]+not[\s\n]+constitute[\s\n]+consent[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+PM,[\s\n]+LE[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+CI[\s\n]+investigative[\s\n]+searching[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+monitoring[\s\n]+of[\s\n]+the[\s\n]+content[\s\n]+of[\s\n]+privileged[\s\n]+communications,[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+work[\s\n]+product,[\s\n]+related[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+personal[\s\n]+representation[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+services[\s\n]+by[\s\n]+attorneys,[\s\n]+psychotherapists,[\s\n]+or[\s\n]+clergy,[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+their[\s\n]+assistants\.[\s\n]+Such[\s\n]+communications[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+work[\s\n]+product[\s\n]+are[\s\n]+private[\s\n]+and[\s\n]+confidential\.[\s\n]+See[\s\n]+User[\s\n]+Agreement[\s\n]+for[\s\n]+details\.|I've[\s\n]+read[\s\n]+\&[\s\n]+consent[\s\n]+to[\s\n]+terms[\s\n]+in[\s\n]+IS[\s\n]+user[\s\n]+agreem't\.)$'


# Multiple regexes transform the banner regex into a usable banner
# 0 - Remove anchors around the banner text
login_banner_text=$(echo "$login_banner_text" | sed 's/^\^\(.*\)\$$/\1/g')
# 1 - Keep only the first banners if there are multiple
#    (dod_banners contains the long and short banner)
login_banner_text=$(echo "$login_banner_text" | sed 's/^(\(.*\.\)|.*)$/\1/g')
# 2 - Add spaces ' '. (Transforms regex for "space or newline" into a " ")
login_banner_text=$(echo "$login_banner_text" | sed 's/\[\\s\\n\]+/ /g')
# 3 - Adds newline "tokens". (Transforms "(?:\[\\n\]+|(?:\\n)+)" into "(n)*")
login_banner_text=$(echo "$login_banner_text" | sed 's/(?:\[\\n\]+|(?:\\\\n)+)/(n)*/g')
# 4 - Remove any leftover backslash. (From any parethesis in the banner, for example).
login_banner_text=$(echo "$login_banner_text" | sed 's/\\//g')
# 5 - Removes the newline "token." (Transforms them into newline escape sequences "\n").
#    ( Needs to be done after 4, otherwise the escapce sequence will become just "n".
login_banner_text=$(echo "$login_banner_text" | sed 's/(n)\*/\\n/g')

mkdir -p /etc/dconf/profile
dconf_profile_path=/etc/dconf/profile/user

[[ -s "${dconf_profile_path}" ]] || echo > "${dconf_profile_path}"

if ! grep -Pzq "(?s)^\s*user-db:user.*\n\s*system-db:local" "${dconf_profile_path}"; then
    sed -i --follow-symlinks "1s/^/user-db:user\nsystem-db:local\n/" "${dconf_profile_path}"
fi

# Make sure the corresponding directories exist
mkdir -p /etc/dconf/db/local.d

# Make sure permissions allow regular users to read dconf settings.
# Also define the umask to avoid `dconf update` changing permissions.
chmod -R u=rwX,go=rX /etc/dconf/profile
(umask 0022 && dconf update)
mkdir -p /etc/dconf/profile
dconf_profile_path=/etc/dconf/profile/gdm

[[ -s "${dconf_profile_path}" ]] || echo > "${dconf_profile_path}"

if ! grep -Pzq "(?s)^\s*user-db:user.*\n\s*system-db:gdm" "${dconf_profile_path}"; then
    sed -i --follow-symlinks "1s/^/user-db:user\nsystem-db:gdm\n/" "${dconf_profile_path}"
fi

# Make sure the corresponding directories exist
mkdir -p /etc/dconf/db/gdm.d

# Make sure permissions allow regular users to read dconf settings.
# Also define the umask to avoid `dconf update` changing permissions.
chmod -R u=rwX,go=rX /etc/dconf/profile
(umask 0022 && dconf update)

# Will do both approach, since we plan to migrate to checks over dconf db. That way, future updates of the tool
# will pass the check even if we decide to check only for the dconf db path.
if [ -e "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults" ] ; then
    
    LC_ALL=C sed -i "/^\s*banner\-message\-text/Id" "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"
else
    touch "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"
fi
# make sure file has newline at the end
sed -i -e '$a\' "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"

cp "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults" "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults.bak"
# Insert after the line matching the regex '\[org/gnome/login-screen\]'
line_number="$(LC_ALL=C grep -n "\[org/gnome/login-screen\]" "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults.bak" | LC_ALL=C sed 's/:.*//g')"
if [ -z "$line_number" ]; then
    # There was no match of '\[org/gnome/login-screen\]', insert at
    # the end of the file.
    printf '%s\n' "banner-message-text='${login_banner_text}'" >> "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"
else
    head -n "$(( line_number ))" "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults.bak" > "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"
    printf '%s\n' "banner-message-text='${login_banner_text}'" >> "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"
    tail -n "+$(( line_number + 1 ))" "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults.bak" >> "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults"
fi
# Clean up after ourselves.
rm "/etc/gdm3/greeter.dconf-defaults.bak"
# Check for setting in any of the DConf db directories
# If files contain ibus or distro, ignore them.
# The assignment assumes that individual filenames don't contain :
readarray -t SETTINGSFILES < <(grep -r "\\[org/gnome/login-screen\\]" "/etc/dconf/db/" \
                                | grep -v 'distro\|ibus\|gdm.d' | cut -d":" -f1)
DCONFFILE="/etc/dconf/db/gdm.d/00-security-settings"
DBDIR="/etc/dconf/db/gdm.d"

mkdir -p "${DBDIR}"

# Comment out the configurations in databases different from the target one
if [ "${#SETTINGSFILES[@]}" -ne 0 ]
then
    if grep -q "^\\s*banner-message-text\\s*=" "${SETTINGSFILES[@]}"
    then
        
        sed -Ei "s/(^\s*)banner-message-text(\s*=)/#\1banner-message-text\2/g" "${SETTINGSFILES[@]}"
    fi
fi

[ ! -z "${DCONFFILE}" ] && echo "" >> "${DCONFFILE}"
if ! grep -q "\\[org/gnome/login-screen\\]" "${DCONFFILE}"
then
    printf '%s\n' "[org/gnome/login-screen]" >> ${DCONFFILE}
fi

escaped_value="$(sed -e 's/\\/\\\\/g' <<< "'${login_banner_text}'")"
if grep -q "^\\s*banner-message-text\\s*=" "${DCONFFILE}"
then
        sed -i "s/\\s*banner-message-text\\s*=\\s*.*/banner-message-text=${escaped_value}/g" "${DCONFFILE}"
    else
        sed -i "\\|\\[org/gnome/login-screen\\]|a\\banner-message-text=${escaped_value}" "${DCONFFILE}"
fi
# Make sure permissions allow regular users to read dconf settings.
# Also define the umask to avoid `dconf update` changing permissions.
chmod -R u=rwX,go=rX /etc/dconf/db
(umask 0022 && dconf update)
# No need to use dconf update, since bash_dconf_settings does that already

else
    >&2 echo 'Remediation is not applicable, nothing was done'
fi
```