The "root" account is the most privileged account on a Unix system.
3
votes
2answers
5k views
How to give user root permissions?
I just installed Arch. Works great. I created a new user, logged in with it and now I'm trying to install several thing with pacman. But I keep getting the error: error: you cannot perform this ...
3
votes
2answers
293 views
Start Vim as my user with root privileges
I have my custom Vim files in ~/.vim and settings in ~/.vimrc. However, sometimes I have to edit some files in /etc and such.
If I start Vim like this:
$ sudo vim /etc/rc.conf
I lose my config ...
4
votes
1answer
222 views
SSH login as root fails, but I'm sure I entered the right password
What am I missing? I change the root password on a unix machine, then try to log in with that password. PasswordAuthentication is set to yes in sshd_config and the sshd daemon has been restarted. ...
3
votes
1answer
553 views
GNU Screen does not work when su'ing from root to a normal user
Is it normal, that when I am logged in as root, and the used su user, I can't access that users screen sessions?
In this case, screen complains about it not having permissions on /dev/pts/x.
I ...
2
votes
3answers
453 views
What does it mean to be in group 0?
Several users in a system I inherited have their group set to 0 in /etc/passwd. What does that mean? Do they essentially get full root privileges?
The system is running CentOS 5, and the users ...
19
votes
1answer
910 views
Why can't root execute when executable bits are not set?
root user can write to a file even if its write permissions are not set.
root user can read a file even if its read permissions are not set.
root user can cd into a directory even if its execute ...
2
votes
2answers
184 views
Bash Process Substitution does not work as 'root' on OS X
OS X 10.6.8, if I use Bash Process Substitution as 'root', it just doesn't work.
Is it supposed to be so?
Why?
Note: here's what I mean... "<(list)"
mysql -D robottinosino < <(echo ...
2
votes
2answers
184 views
Gaining root privileges in SCO
I am learning Linux for work, so am still a bit rusty on the edges.
I am needing to change the folder permission of the directory /opt, and I know in Linux, you do the following:
chmod 775 /opt
I ...
2
votes
2answers
844 views
SFTP and sudo using Windows client?
I want to download files from a linux system using a windows client. While there are many SFTP clients I am having the problem, that I need to access files where I need to be root. On the linux system ...
0
votes
2answers
932 views
How to assign user root rights?
I have Suse Linux on my desktop. So I am root and "normal" user.
Frequently e.g. to start tomcat or install/remove a program I should use sudo or switch to super user. But I have defined many aliases ...
-7
votes
2answers
512 views
Boot Kubuntu as root user
No one uses my computer except me and no one accesses Kubuntu in VirtualBox except me. In XP if I need to edit a file I open it with a text editor, edit it, save it and then close the editor. How do I ...
2
votes
2answers
209 views
Kubuntu - GUI context menu sudo/root
A couple of years ago I found something in a package manager that added a context menu item that allowed me to open files and save them normally without being harassed about file permissions. Can ...
2
votes
1answer
335 views
How to add folder to existing user [proftpd]
As we know we can add folder to user using useradd user -p user_passwd -d /home/ftp/user_dir/ -s /bin/false but how to add folder to existing user, for example /home/ftp/root for root ?
3
votes
2answers
170 views
How to add a line to a file which has only root write permission and to continue the script execution
I am trying to learn bash scripting. I am working on a practical problem and at one point I need to add a line to a file which requires root permission to write.
The code looks like this:
# some ...
2
votes
2answers
716 views
how to run shell on a remote server with root priviledge
I want to execute a shell script on a remote server, and the script should be run by root with no password required (or use sudo in the script).
Can anyone give me some suggestions?
1
vote
1answer
359 views
exclude commands from user's sudo permissions
Consider the following line in a /etc/sudoers file:
username ALL=(ALL) ALL, !/usr/bin/passwd
as far as I know, this allows user username to use sudo, unless he not uses /usr/bin/passwd. But ...
1
vote
1answer
412 views
How to invoke root privileges from a password prompt of “Software Update” window?
When I try to install software updates using the "Software Update" GUI, I am asked for the root password. Although, I can 'su' in a terminal, the password is not recognized as correct in the GUI ...
0
votes
1answer
263 views
Is it possible to run vlc as root?
I installed vlc player using an old video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uql96eLe0w
I don't know how to access other users, but root itself only, so I don't know if the video is outdated or works at ...
2
votes
1answer
322 views
root can only login with bash restricted mode
I was implementing a series of recommendations to 'harden' my linux server, involving lots and lots of changes. Linux is CentOS 6.2, kernel 2.6.32-220.*.
I'm currently using tty2..tty5 (no X/GUI etc) ...
2
votes
1answer
559 views
How do I restart apache as non-root (using a git-hook)?
For one specific user I want to be able to restart Apache. This user does have sudo privileges and I could run sudo /etc/init.d/apache2 reload, but I want to include this restart script in a git ...
3
votes
2answers
203 views
Force change of a user's cwd as root
I'm looking to change a user's process such that I can set it's cwd.
Related, and secondary to the question, I have a filesystem I want to unmount but a user is sitting on it with a bash process. I ...
0
votes
2answers
451 views
shell script to execute in root mode
I need execute script that have commands which should be run in root mode.
If I put sudo before command then when I run script I see permission denied ( I don't have a chance to write password).
If I ...
1
vote
2answers
629 views
Problem with vim when logged in as root
When I login as root or edit a file by sudo mode all of the options in my /etc/vimrc are not working (e.g. highlight line-number etc.)
1
vote
1answer
1k views
switching from user to root and revers (freebsd)
i want to make some modificaciones with root and then with my user, in fact i want to install sudo and he give me the error in the first step:
cd /usr/ports/security/sudo
make install clean
...
9
votes
3answers
740 views
Is it safe to close shell just by clicking “X” or using “ctrl+d”?
Is it safe to close shell just by clicking "X" or using "ctrl+d" while logged in as root with su or is it safer to close it by typing "exit"? Is there any difference (security-wise) at all or is it ...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
Unable to delete file, even as root
I've got a file on remote machine (saying that, cause I don't know who the heck created it), that I've to remove.
user@machine:~/folder$ ls
lift_proto.db.lock.db
And permissions are like this:
...
6
votes
1answer
500 views
Jailbreaking HDTV
I have a Vizio internet TV, the predecessor to this one with basically the same specs, not 3D though. I wanted to try and gain root access to the tv.
Using nmap I leaned that the only port open is ...
2
votes
2answers
189 views
root account expired
I have two accounts on my computer: james and john. james is the only administrative account and a few days ago I set it to expire out of curiosity. Now am stuck. I can not login using james because ...
0
votes
1answer
621 views
Setting GTK2 theme for root
When using sudo, applications do not follow the GTK2 theme and font. How can I set identical settings for use when an application is run from root, but while inside a desktop from a user?
4
votes
2answers
106 views
System files with strict permissions
Usually, when we run
ls -l
we can see such picture -rwx...- so the owner always has the full stack of permissions.
And usually the owner of the system files is the root. Are there any system files ...
2
votes
1answer
109 views
How do I stop Apache from running as root?
New on the job, small place, and the security stuff just landed on my desk. I was hired to be a front-end developer. Happy to learn new things, but never had to do sysadmin stuff before.
I started ...
0
votes
2answers
1k views
ssh root@localhost error; help me hack this box :)
I need to gain a root shell on a linux vm for a security class. I have a user account on the system and a means to write to any file (i.e. /etc...) and want to escalate my privileges with:
ssh ...
5
votes
1answer
2k views
Unable to delete file, even when running as root
I am in the process of migrating a machine from RHEL 4 to 5. Rather than actually do an upgrade we have created a new VM (both machines are in a cloud) and I am in the process of copying across data ...
19
votes
1answer
1k views
How to get root inside of vi? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Becoming root from inside Vim
It could happen to anyone. The admin types:
vi /etc/resolv.conf
as a regulare user. He edits the /etc/resolv.conf file, but when he ...
1
vote
2answers
77 views
How can I install programming tools in the root directory so that they can be used by non-admin users?
I'm running OS X and for security reasons my main account does not have admin privileges. How can I install development tools in the root directory so that they can be used by all users? If this can't ...
7
votes
1answer
419 views
Lightweight virtualization on Linux with user isolation
What Linux-on-Linux virtualization technologies provide user isolation? Specifically, I want root in the virtual machine not to have any privilege on the host.
This was not the case for LXC, but was ...
10
votes
3answers
14k views
Can I change root's email address or forward all mail to an external address?
I'm getting a lot of mail in my root user's mail account. This appears to be mostly reports and errors from things like cron scripts. I'm trying to work though and solve these things, possibly even ...
1
vote
1answer
254 views
How to invoke root privileges from my custom app?
In a GUI-environment, I want to be able to ask the user for the root/sudo password and then execute an app that requires root privileges from within my app.
As an example, say I want to run an editor ...
2
votes
3answers
121 views
What was superuser password set? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is there a root password on OS X and Ubuntu?
After I installed Ubuntu, I noticed that I'm not sure what was superuser password set, If I set it at all.
I know that I ...
11
votes
6answers
1k views
Is there a root password on OS X and Ubuntu?
When you setup a new Ubuntu or OS X installation a user is generally created for you. On OS X it is whatever username you pick. On Ubuntu (the server version) usually the ubuntu user is created.
The ...
2
votes
2answers
126 views
Is it possible (and a good idea) to do `pw lock root` on FreeBSD?
I have set up sudo on my FreeBSD server. As I now never want to log in as root anymore, I was wondering whether I should do sudo pw lock root.
My questions are:
Is this possible, without forever ...
0
votes
0answers
294 views
Why do you need sudo for “sudo su root”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When do su and sudo use different passwords?
Why do you need to use sudo su root ? Why won't it work to just use su root?
2
votes
3answers
644 views
How can I find all ascii files under one directory that have the word shirt in them? Starting from root
What command would I use to find all of the files under the girl directory that have the ascii text “shirt” inside the files, starting from the root directory?
3
votes
1answer
634 views
How to disable root account on openSUSE?
Is there a way to disable the root account completely on openSUSE so you can administer your system like the way you would do in Ubuntu?
5
votes
1answer
3k views
How to run a GUI program as a different user (Debian)?
Using a terminal, I can change the running user with su and sudo — but how can I do that by clicking on an icon/shortcut on the desktop/start menu?
If I have to be root to execute I will be asked ...
6
votes
2answers
317 views
How to hinder root from running a script
The Glassfish application server provides scripts to administer the application server and also start and stop them and I would like to restrict the root user from running this script. The reason is ...
12
votes
3answers
3k views
How far can you go with rm -rf / as root
If you are root, and you issue
rm -rf /
Then how far can the command go? Can you recover data from this kind of an action? Even after the binaries are gone, would the running processes still be ...
3
votes
2answers
249 views
Permissions of webserver's root directory
I've had this issue on several setups, and I'm unsure of how to handle it.
At first, all of /var is owned by root:root. Clearly I don't want the web directory to be owned by root, so I do chown ...
19
votes
2answers
878 views
How does the power button shut the computer down without root permission?
When I try to shutdown the computer from a command line or terminal I must have root privileges:
amy@amy:~$ shutdown now
shutdown: Need to be root
and
amy@amy:~$ halt
halt: Need to be root
but ...
4
votes
4answers
731 views
How sudo/root-ness detection works
Programs that make changes system-wide require sudo unless I am already the root user.
Now, the question is: how exactly does the system figure out that I am (not) root?
Does it:
Check to see if ...
