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I know this is often caused by enabling the root user, but checking the Directory Utility app — as instructed in other threads on this topic — has shown me that this user isn't at all enabled.
Only software I can think of that can be responsible for this is NoMachine which I use for remote access. But I just want to rule out malware at this point and figure how the hell can I get rid of this "user" (when I click on the its avatar I'm prompted to enter both a username and a password)
Most likely you have recently installed an app that utilizes a new user account.
NoMachine is one example. if you delete it, other... icon will be gone.
The solution to this is to Disable Root User. To do that, go to:
System Preferences > Users & Groups > Unlock Button (and put in password) > Login Options > Network Account Server: click "Join" > Open Directory Utility > Unlock Button (and put in password) > Edit Menu (at the top) > DISABLE ROOT USER
Once you've done that, the Other... user should be gone from the login screen.
Alternatively, you can get to Directory Utility using Spotlight (command + spacebar) then typing Directory Utility, and pressing enter.
Hope that helps!
Once you review your accounts, the mystery will be revealed. Apple designed that item to let you enter a user name and password for system or other accounts from a directory server. It also can indicate if you allow guests to connect to your Mac in a secure manner.
Above is the guest access configuration on Catalina. In the past a lot of people enabled the root account, but more new macOS don’t need that and have protected system so any Admin user is really root or can become root in a shell on demand using the sudo command.
