Giving an account admin rights

auttis · 03-27-2017, 08:30 AM

I have created a normal user, not I want to give it admin rights but when I test it by logging with it still shows it is a normal user, how do I make it an admin?

Rickkkk · 03-27-2017, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auttis

I have created a normal user, not I want to give it admin rights but when I test it by logging with it still shows it is a normal user, how do I make it an admin?

The only account that should have what you are referring to as "admin rights" (which is more Windows terminology) is the root account. In linux, to temporarily elevate privileges to root access while logged in as a regular user, one usually uses either the su (to temporarily "become" root) or sudo (to execute a specific command "as" root) command (refer to your distro's documentation concerning sudo configuration).

Cheers,

Turbocapitalist · 03-27-2017, 08:36 AM

Welcome. This intro might help a bit: http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...Ask_a_Question

Moving forward from that, which distro, including version, are you using?

Then what level of "admin" privileges do you want to grant to the new account? Specifically which programs do you want them to run and with (or without) which options? The solution will likely involve adding some choices to sudoers using visudo, but those choices will be based on what you want to allow.

jefro · 03-27-2017, 04:39 PM

Hello and welcome to LQ.

Linux is not immune to the problems of attacks. Over the years linux users have had to change the way they use the OS to be more secure. Many distro's won't easily let you make an admin (correctly stated above root) user.

You want to run linux at the lowest level of permission possible. When needed you can use a limited uplevel of permissions to accomplish tasks.

sundialsvcs · 03-28-2017, 08:06 AM

When a user is a member of the so-called wheel group (as in, "he's a 'big wheel' around here"), he is customarily able to gain root privileges – using his own

password – by entering the command: sudo su.

This is specified in the default version of the /etc/sudoers file.

All of the accounts that I use, save one, are not members of this group and thus do not have the power to become root. Although I own the systems in question, "I'm just an ordinary Joe" to them. If I go into a phone booth, I can only make a phone call – not put on red-and-blue tights. This is by design.