100s of weird com.apple.SecurityServer messages in console

[big_malk]

I just got a warning the a Time Machine backup failed, so I looked in the Console to see if there were any clue about why it failed, and literally 100s of messages like these are popping up...

01/03/2009 18:15:56 com.apple.SecurityServer[22] getpwnam() failed for user caroline, creating invalid credential
01/03/2009 18:15:56 com.apple.SecurityServer[22] Failed to authorize right system.login.tty by client /usr/sbin/sshd for authorization created by /usr/sbin/sshd.

It just keeps coming, with names instead of 'caroline' including 'avery', 'rebecca', 'jenna', 'peyton123456789', 'lindsey123456789', 'ashlyn1', 'ashlyn12', 'ashlyn123' etc etc, more are popping up every second...

...is someone trying to hack into my computer or something?!

Edit:
Maybe I should mention, I'm one a Mac Pro with 10.5.6, connected to a local Airport wired & wireless network (secured) and I have the Leopard firewall set to allow access to specific apps only.

 

[applefan69]

yeah.. it sounds like someone is trying brute force their way into having access on your mac.

Go to system preferences click sharing preference pane, and uncheck everything that is checked.

That should at the very least tell the mac that noone can connect to the mac even with the right login info.

Brute force hacking works, by just trying every possible letter combination... its a long progress but is proven to work. Of course it does work eventually though, so I'd do what i said to shut off any chance of them accessing your mac.

If you need those features that i suggested you turn off, then i recommend you make your password very difficult and secure. Or im sure there is other ways to stop the user, but im not sure. (possibly with firewall?) So sit tight for another member to chime in then i suppose.

 

[Peace]

Sounds to me like even though you have your wireless secured it's still visible to other people using WiFi.

They may be trying to connect to the network.

If you can , make your network a "closed" network and give it a different name. This way outsiders won't see the network and will have to manually type in the network ( if they even knew it )name to try to log-in.

Also. Try using an access control list of MAC addresses. This way any computer that isn't on the list won't be able to connect.

 

[big_malk]

Well I checked the Airport Admin utility, and it said only one DHCP client was connected, and also one wireless client. The DHCP client IP doesn't match the IP address I'm currently connected to it with, but our iMac is connected wirelessly, I don't know if the DHCP client would be the same as the wireless client, but it doesn't show my connection at all :S, if you get what I mean?

The 'getpwnam() failed...' messages have stopped, but other than the confusing Airport Admin utility, is there any way to tell if someone is connected who shouldn't be?