who can be root?

[denapple]

I'm not clear yet on who can exercise root powers. If I login as root, I clearly can work with everthing, no problem. Added my other persona to the root group, but that didn't result in any change of authority that I could see. In the real world, do all the sys admins just share the root password?
:confused:

[Derango]

The way root should be used is slightly different than the way other user accounts should be used.

First, Root should only be used by system admins that require access to the entire system for the task they are going to be doing. Logging on as root for normal opperations isn't too smart. One mystyped command can completly destroy the whole system.

Instead, root should only be used with this type of power is necessary. Normal user accounts should be created for all users. If root priveleges are required, the normal users can turn into root for a short time using the su command.

[denapple]

So you are saying that adding other admins to the root group has no effect? What if one of the admins changes the root password? I understand the su concept OK.

[Choozo]

Originally posted by denapple:
<STRONG>So you are saying that adding other admins to the root group has no effect? What if one of the admins changes the root password? I understand the su concept OK.</STRONG>
Now, you don't want to have admins that don't trust each other ... do you?
All admins (hopefulle no more than 2 people) will use the 'root' account with the same password.

[ZeBuL0N]

and adding to your other ??, group members of group "root" means they can see the directories with the "root" group as the ownergroup, but they cant do anything with the data, hence like the other people said, use of the "su" command (super-User) or logging in as root for the needed task.

the linuxconf user acct section, you can customize perm's for most things, like linuxconf, control panels, etc. but most things are controlled by root , or su access.

[cperry42975]

Who can be root?
I can be root?
Im never not root.
I dont wanna be me cause root has more power and everthing I do I have to su.

[Rob 'Feztaa' Park]

You run the risk of destroying your system if you continually stay as root.

What you might try doing is altering the permissions on some things, so that you don't need to be root in order to do all your stuff.

[Siskmarek]

There's always SUDO, too. For when the regular Joe needs some root-type power to get some tasks done. ='D This should be available with any major distro.

~ Siskie

[cperry42975]

Originally posted by Rob 'Feztaa' Park:
[QB]You run the risk of destroying your system if you continually stay as root.
QB]

Damn if that didnt come straight out of the book!
:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[7]

You could add a new user for the other admin and change the user id/group id to 0
~$ cat /etc/passwd

root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
jim:x:0:0:admin no. 2:/home/jim:/bin/bash
&lt;name&gt;:&lt;password(shadowed)&gt;:&lt;user-id&gt;:&lt;group-id&gt;:&lt;note&gt;:&lt;home&gt;:&lt;shell&gt;

Adding him to root's group probably isn't working because hes trying to use files that are set to user-execute-only and user-read/write-only.

[ 23 August 2001: Message edited by: 7 ]

[spiffgq]

Originally posted by Derango:
<STRONG>One mystyped command can completly destroy the whole system.</STRONG>

I've never had this problem; All the commands I've given that destroy my system are given on purpose :D .

[ 23 August 2001: Message edited by: spiffgq ]

[Rob 'Feztaa' Park]

Originally posted by 7:
<STRONG>You could add a new user for the other admin and change the user id/group id to 0
~$ cat /etc/passwd</STRONG>

That entirely defeats the purpose of not logging in as root.