LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Adrian Butterworth <adrian@econ-outlook.com.au>
  To  : linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au
  Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 01:59:43 +0930

Re: User Accounts

Hi Adam

Caution: It is easy but not usually wise, be very careful.
A user with root privileges can unintentionally destroy a system in seconds.
They can also violate others privacy.

Privileges are determined by the UID (number) not the name
root privileges come from having a UID of zero
a users UID is usually set in /etc/passwd
more than one user can have the same UID
a normal user entry looks like
 adrian:Kc4gR6o1Bf9UE:500:500:Adrian Butterworth,18 Sussex St Glenelg South
    Australia,61 8 83509621,61 8 82944782:/home/adrian:/bin/bash
by changing it to 
 adrian:Kc4gR6o1Bf9UE:0:500:Adrian Butte...
if I logged on as adrian I would have the same user privileges as root.

Some better options are:
.. use the group privileges & add the user to the authorised group (this can be
  the root group)
.. give the user the root passwd & tell them how to su
  (if they have a UID of 0 they can change the root passwd anyway)
.. give them access to the required binary(s) in their /home/USERNAME/bin
  directory, ensure only they can execute it & SUID the binary to root
.. finally, the best of this bunch - install "sudo" & configure it
  to allow them access to the necessary binaries.

If you describe what it is they need to do, perhaps someone can give a
more focused solution that is as safe as possible.

Regards
Adrian Butterworth

On Tue, 18 May 1999, Adam Rumbelow wrote:
> >%_Does anyone know if it is possible to make a user equal (or close to it) to root?
> 
> If someone does, HOW
> 
> Thanks
> Adam
> adamrumbelow@geocities.com
> adamrumb@arcom.com.au
> 

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