Cann't login as root

raquo · 04-12-2014, 05:50 PM

Hello. Since a few days I am not able to login using SSH as root user, and I really do not know what is the issue. All I can do is log in as an other user and then su to root. My OS is Debian x64, and I've already tried reinstalling whole open-ssh package.
Here's the auth log:

Code:

Apr 13 00:49:18 ns237710 sshd[20880]: Accepted password for root from xxxxxxx port 65170 ssh2
Apr 13 00:49:18 ns237710 sshd[20880]: pam_unix(sshd:session): session opened for user root by (uid=0)
Apr 13 00:49:18 ns237710 systemd-logind[4994]: New session c137 of user root.
Apr 13 00:49:18 ns237710 sshd[20880]: pam_systemd(sshd:session): Failed to stat runtime dir: No such file or directory
Apr 13 00:49:18 ns237710 systemd-logind[4994]: Removed session c137.

I would appreciate your help!
Thanks!

John VV · 04-12-2014, 06:35 PM

in deducing any problem
step 1 is normally " what has changed" .

raquo · 04-13-2014, 06:05 AM

Nothing has changed. It happened after a reboot after over 60 days.

John VV · 04-13-2014, 11:02 AM

nothing?
not even security updates ?

anon112 · 04-13-2014, 11:04 AM

You may consider checking your settings in /etc/ssh to ensure that logging in as root is permitted, perhaps something has changed in there.

raquo · 04-13-2014, 05:13 PM

As I said i reinstalled the whole package, so the config in /etc/ssh is fresh and unchanged.
Nope, it just happened. I have no idea what is wrong with this.

unSpawn · 04-13-2014, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raquo

All I can do is log in as an other user and then su to root.

...which is what you should do in the first place as root should not be allowed to login over any network anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raquo

Code:

Apr 13 00:49:18 ns237710 sshd[20880]: pam_systemd(sshd:session): Failed to stat runtime dir: No such file or directory

What does 'ssh user@host echo $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR' return? (Should be /run/user/$UID IIGC.)

Emerson · 04-13-2014, 06:30 PM

What unSpawn said. Account root is for local administration only, root does not use any applications, root does not initiate remote logins. It is often called root user and it is incorrect, root is not user.

raquo · 04-14-2014, 05:43 PM

Yes, I know that root shouldn't be used, soon I will not do that anymore

@unSpawn http://screenshooter.net/2066175/vqpdqpx

sag47 · 04-14-2014, 06:26 PM

There is an sshd setting /etc/ssh/sshd_config... append.

Code:

PermitRootLogin no
AllowGroups wheel sshusers

In your sudoers file you should have...

Code:

%wheel  ALL=(ALL)   ALL

Create the group sshusers.

Code:

groupadd sshusers

You can add users to either group using the following command where $USER=="myuser".

Code:

usermod -a -G wheel myuser

Now only users who belong to the group "wheel" or "sshusers" can actually log in using SSH. Only users who are in the wheel group can log into root using sudo. The sshusers group is for non-root privileged users to gain SSH access to the system. This is usually the first thing I do when setting up any system. I highly recommend you doing the same.

You can also learn more about the different options in sshd_config.

Code:

man sshd_config

SAM