How to let several users log in to the internet

frank320 · 05-24-2007, 09:06 AM

I am using Fedora 6, and use
/usr/bin/system-config-network to connect my dial-up
modem to the internet. the program is owned by 'root'

I would like all my users to use this pgm to log into the internet. They of course, do not have the
'root' password. The program always asks for the
root password to run this program.

I have changed the 'Properties' of the program to
allow 'read' 'write' and 'execute' for all users.
However, this does not solve the problem.

Please advise... and thank you.

frank320

osor · 05-24-2007, 04:17 PM

I suggest you edit sudoers to allow all users to execute this program as root. In this case, they will be prompted only for their own passwords. You can even eliminate the need for the users’ password (though it’s not recommended).

man 5 sudoers

An alternative method (which I STRONGLY suggest you don’t use) is to mark the SETUID bit on the file (and make sure the user owner is root). That way anyone who executes it will have root permissions.

Posterboy · 05-25-2007, 08:15 AM

One thing I love about Linux, there's no end to "ways" to get things done. Here's a couple more. In /etc/passwd you will see your users listed beginning with 500, and up. If you change that to 0 when that person logs in, he will have root, but your root password will not have been revealed to him.
Another: chmod u+s will make the program RUN as root, no matter who started it. Niether of these are "safe", but there are always trade-offs of one kind or another, right?

theYinYeti · 05-25-2007, 08:38 AM

sudo is probably the safest. Be aware that the sticky bit (u+s) does not work on scripts, only real programs.

Yves.

frank320 · 05-25-2007, 10:34 AM

Many thanks for your responses. I edited 'sudoers" and added the line:

users ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

Unfortunately, this did not work. Members of group 'users' still need to enter
the root password. Am I doing something wrong? Please advise.

Also, I will try the methods suggested by 'Ray'

Many thanks..
frank 320