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Old 10-13-2003, 07:55 PM   #1
qcoder
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Creating A Root Account


How can I create another root account on my Linux box?
 
Old 10-13-2003, 07:59 PM   #2
micxz
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Why would you do this? This is very insecure. Why not use sudo?
 
Old 10-14-2003, 02:44 AM   #3
arunshivanandan
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hmmm,just edit your /etc/passwd and /etc/shadow(no neead to edit this,but do a 'pwconv' to shadow the new /etc/passwd.).just create a new line with the same entries as that of the user.then change the name of root to something else.about the password-what i did was,first shadow /etc/passwd.
Code:
pwconv
.
then delete the password (x) corresponding to root.this will make your root passwordless.then just copy the line corresponding to root.and change the name root in the new line.and then change the passwdord using
Code:
passwd
.
I dont know about the problems this will cause.I am having 2 roots in my system.and there has been no problems over this.
--arun.
 
Old 10-14-2003, 07:11 AM   #4
trickykid
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Security thru obscurity is not the solution. I would suggest to setup sudo like mentioned before or simply su'ing to root when needed. You should never be logged in as root for any reason unless necessary.

Logging in as your everyday user is good practice, as there is no need to be root all the time on your machine.
 
Old 10-14-2003, 10:38 AM   #5
stickman
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Quote:
Originally posted by arunshivanandan
I dont know about the problems this will cause.I am having 2 roots in my system.and there has been no problems over this.
--arun.
I never understood the logic behind this. If you need full root access, why not use the root account? That's why it's there. Otherwise you should use sudo. Duplicating the root account under another username may give you full access, but it also creates other problems.
 
Old 10-14-2003, 12:01 PM   #6
arunshivanandan
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I created those two roots(one is root and the other is arun) just as an experimentation.It has not caused any problems to me.I never unnecesserily work in root,and i use 'su'.again,let me say,it was for experimentation only.
--arun
 
Old 10-14-2003, 10:49 PM   #7
nikhiljosh
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the trick lies in making uid 0 of the other root account

#usermod -u 0 -o other

#man usermod

for details
 
Old 10-15-2003, 12:45 AM   #8
jayakrishnan
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Its almost like trying to reinvent the wheel, which is a serious crime in opensource
 
Old 10-15-2003, 02:34 AM   #9
nikhiljosh
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who is trying to reinvent the wheel? we are just trying to being inquisitive.
 
Old 10-15-2003, 03:05 AM   #10
micxz
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Quote:
Originally posted by jayakrishnan
Its almost like trying to reinvent the wheel, which is a serious crime in opensource
LOL

#usermod -u 0 -o micxz
hey' look guys I rooted himself.


try "visudo" and man pages.
 
  


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