If
you allow people to log in with OPS$ accounts from Windows Workstation, you
cannot be sure who they really are. With terminals, you can rely on operating
system passwords with Windows you cannot.
If
you set REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT = TRUE in your init.ora file, Oracle assumes that
remote OS has authenticated the user.
If
REMOTE_OS_AUTHENT is set to FALSE (recommended), remote users will be unable to
connect without a password
IDENTIFIED
EXTERNALLY will only be in effect from the local host.
Also, if you are using "OPS$" as your prefix, you will be able to log on locally with or without a password, regardless of whether you have identified your ID with a password or defined it to be IDENTIFIED EXTERNALLY