Oracle Linux: Console Login & su Fails with Error "permission denied" & "could not open session" (Doc ID 2400885.1)

Last updated on AUGUST 04, 2018

Applies to:

Symptoms

Console login failed for any user with error "permission denied" and also su "could not open session", whereas the ssh login works.

Following errors are seen in /var/log/secure:

su: pam_unix(su-l:session): session opened for user <someuser> by root(uid=0)
su: pam_tty_audit(su-l:session): changed status from 1 to 0
su: PAM (su-l) illegal module type: isession
su: PAM (su-l) illegal module type: isession

Cause

My Oracle Support provides customers with access to over a million knowledge articles and a vibrant support community of peers and Oracle experts.