Implications of REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT = true

The REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT parameter lets the database decide if the authentication can be performed by the remote operating system, or if it must be performed by the database. If REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT=TRUE, then the user can authenticate just to their remote operating system and need no further authentication to gain access to the database. If REMOTE_OS_AUTHEN=FALSE, then only database authentication is available from these remote systems.

I strongly suggest reading the Oracle 9i Security Overview document as many of these questions are answered there.

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