sshd logs an error Failed to allocate internet-domain X11 display socket

Solution Verified - Updated -

Issue

  • I cannot run graphical programs on a remote system with X11 forwarding over ssh:

        [user@localhost ~]$ ssh -X hostname.example.com
        Last login: Fri Oct 14 13:53:43 2011 from 192.168.1.2
        [user@hostname ~]$ xeyes
        Error: Can't open display:
    
  • Unable to open the virt-manager, getting an error "virt-manager: Unable to initialize GTK: could not open display".

  • The /var/log/secure on the remote host contains the error message:

        Oct 14 15:00:07 hostname sshd[1909]: error: Failed to allocate internet-domain X11 display socket.
    

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.8

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