Get login username in java

System.getProperty("user.name") is not a good security option since that environment variable could be faked: C:\ set USERNAME="Joe Doe" java ... // will give you System.getProperty("user.name") You ought to do:

com.sun.security.auth.module.NTSystem NTSystem = new com.sun.security.auth.module.NTSystem();
System.out.println(NTSystem.getName());

JDK 1.5 and greater.

I use it within an applet, and it has to be signed. info source

inspired by @newacct's answer, a code that can be compiled in any platform:

String osName = System.getProperty( "os.name" ).toLowerCase();
String className = null;
String methodName = "getUsername";

if( osName.contains( "windows" ) ){
    className = "com.sun.security.auth.module.NTSystem";
    methodName = "getName";
}
else if( osName.contains( "linux" ) ){
    className = "com.sun.security.auth.module.UnixSystem";
}
else if( osName.contains( "solaris" ) || osName.contains( "sunos" ) ){
    className = "com.sun.security.auth.module.SolarisSystem";
}

if( className != null ){
    Class<?> c = Class.forName( className );
    Method method = c.getDeclaredMethod( methodName );
    Object o = c.newInstance();
    System.out.println( method.invoke( o ) );
}

System.getProperty("user.name");

in Unix:

new com.sun.security.auth.module.UnixSystem().getUsername()

in Windows:

new com.sun.security.auth.module.NTSystem().getName()

in Solaris:

new com.sun.security.auth.module.SolarisSystem().getUsername()