3 replies to this topic

[seadhead]

I am participating in an acdemic cyber security competition and I am looking to force students to think outside the box. I am inquiring if there is a way a mouse can be disable and re-inabled on a Linux system.

[seadhead]

I will answer my own question. I found you can unload the associated kernel module and render the mouse useless. Example:

# lsmod | grep mouse
psmouse
# rmmod psmouse
# echo bye bye mouse
bye bye mouse
# locate psmouse.ko
/lib/somewhere/psmouse.ko
# insmod /lib/somewhere/psmouse.ko
# echo mouse is back
mouse is back

[vgfeit]

I will answer my own question.  I found you can unload the associated kernel module and render the mouse useless. Example:

# lsmod | grep mouse
psmouse
# rmmod psmouse
# echo bye bye mouse
bye bye mouse
# locate psmouse.ko
/lib/somewhere/psmouse.ko
# insmod /lib/somewhere/psmouse.ko
# echo mouse is back
mouse is back

Interesting problem and solution.I've tested it and realized that you may reduce the steps in the script, i.e. instead using

# locate psmouse.ko
/lib/somewhere/psmouse.ko
# insmod /lib/somewhere/psmouse.ko
# echo mouse is back
mouse is back

you may simple

# modprobe psmouse
# echo mouse is back

[hololeap]

You can also use the xinput utility.

I made a little script to help you automate this. Just save it as mouse.sh or whatever and run:

# sh mouse.sh disable

or to renable the mouse:

# sh mouse.sh enable

Note: This only works on the current X session unless you change the DISPLAY environment variable to the X server you want to control and have disabled access controls on that session. For example:

x-server # xhost +inet:<your-comp's ip address>
your-comp # DISPLAY=<x-server's ip address>:0 sh mouse.sh disable

mouse.sh

#!/bin/bash
first_arg=$(echo $1 | tr [:upper:] [:lower:])
case $first_arg in
	enable ) enable=1 ;;
	disable ) enable=0 ;;
	* ) echo "Usage: $0 [enable|disable]"; exit 1 ;;
esac
ids=$(xinput list | sed -ne 's/.*id=\(\S\+\).*slave\s\+pointer.*/\1/p')
for i in $ids; do
	xinput set-prop $i 'Device Enabled' $enable
done