xauth

xauth is a command line tool used in Unix-like operating systems to manipulate X Window System authorization information. It manages the cookies used for authenticating connections to X servers. The tool stores and retrieves the cookies in an "authority file" which is typically located at ~/.Xauthority.

With xauth, users can add, remove, or edit authorization records, allowing or denying access to X servers. It is commonly used for granting permissions to remote clients to access the local X server. The command-line options of xauth enable various operations like listing all existing records, adding new entries, deleting specific ones, and merging authority files.

xauth uses the MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 token-based authentication mechanism. Upon successful authentication, a client receives a cookie that must match with the server's cookie to establish a trusted connection. By default, xauth generates random cookies for each new connection, enhancing security.

Overall, xauth provides users with the flexibility to manage X Window System authorization effectively, ensuring secure and controlled access to X servers.