Root access (was RE: which prebuilt linux boxes seem to work best?)

[Geoff Shang]

Hi Brent:

There can only be one root user.  Having said that, you can either use sudo
or su to gain access as root.  If I were a sysadmin, I'd probably implement
sudo rather than allow access to su.  Why?  Because su is used for people
to become root.  It's just the same as logging in as root except it gets
around the /etc/securetty permissions.  In other words, anyone from any
location can become super user using su if they first login as their user
account.  Su expects root's password in order to become super user, which
means that a sysadmin has to give out root's password to anyone they want
to use su.  Sudo however authenticates with the user's password, and the
sysadmin controls who has access to it.  If someone is abusing it, they can
take away their access and there's nothing the user can do about it.  In my
opinion, this is much safer.  Which means I really should go learn how to
administer it. <grin>

Geoff.


-- 
Geoff Shang <gshang10 at scu.edu.au>
ICQ number 43634701