Why can't I "sudo -i"?

dj_thrive · 01-26-2017, 11:23 AM

I have a new account set up on my system (RedHat 6 Cluster and Windows Server Domain Controller), and when I try to sudo from it, it tells me access is denied. I am the admin of this server. I imagine it's fairly simple to correct, I'm just not sure where to start. Thanks!

Habitual · 01-26-2017, 11:28 AM

Contact the admin of the server is the correct "start".

dj_thrive · 01-26-2017, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

Contact the admin of the server is the correct "start".

Hi there, thanks for your time. I am the admin, so it's on me to correct this. I am trying to minimize having to log in as root, since it's a secure system.

Habitual · 01-26-2017, 11:45 AM

Hello Back!

I can only suggest one or both of these may assist you.

Sudo: you're doing it wrong - PDF @ 171 pages.
Sudo: you're doing it wrong - YouTubeVid @ 1h:11m

First thing that comes to mind is

Code:

visudo

and /var/log/auth.log or similar(s)...

Wish it was "more".

mpalumbo · 01-26-2017, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_thrive

Hi there, thanks for your time. I am the admin, so it's on me to correct this. I am trying to minimize having to log in as root, since it's a secure system.

have you configured the user account to be part of the wheel group or edited the /etc/sudoers file to include that user account?

John VV · 01-26-2017, 03:02 PM

redhat by Default! dose not set up and use "sudo"
the default is " su " and " su - "

for sudo you have to set it up to be used

read the redhat admin guide on the redhat web site
https://access.redhat.com/documentat...ide/index.html

and for a cluster
https://access.redhat.com/documentat...ion/index.html

also this is Redhat so you do have the required support contract
use it

the first step is the "knowledge base "
login to the redhat site with the credintials you set up when you bought the license
and search ( you will need to be loged in to read MOST of the web site )

https://access.redhat.com/search/#/knowledgebase

.

suicidaleggroll · 01-26-2017, 03:32 PM

What John VV said

Ubuntu and its derivatives are the only distros that grant the first user on the system unlimited sudo privileges and lock out the root account. Other distros don't do that, for good reason.

Use the root account to administer a RH system, you can switch to it with "su -". You can set up sudo to allow unprivileged users access to run specific commands with elevated privileges, as sudo is intended to be used, but I highly recommend against following the Ubuntu approach of granting regular accounts unlimited sudo access.

sundialsvcs · 01-26-2017, 04:46 PM

Doesn't /var/log/auth.log capture details about this sort of thing?

dj_thrive · 01-27-2017, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpalumbo

have you configured the user account to be part of the wheel group or edited the /etc/sudoers file to include that user account?

I have not done that, I didn't realize I had to. Thank you, I will research how to do this.

dj_thrive · 01-27-2017, 05:47 PM

Thanks you all for the info! I will check it all out. So just to clarify, I inherited this system, and was not here when it was being built. Also, my security guy that audited this system before I was hired (after the original sysadmin left) simply does a "sudo -i" to complete certain tasks.

ondoho · 01-28-2017, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_thrive

my security guy that audited this system before I was hired (after the original sysadmin left) simply does a "sudo -i" to complete certain tasks.

i'm pretty sure you could just as well use

Code:

su -

to achieve the same.

the fact that you don't know this indicates that you have a lot to learn before you can admin a mission critical system.
no offence.

dj_thrive · 02-02-2017, 12:56 PM

Thanks guys!

Code:

su

worked perfectly. I was just trying

Code:

sudo -i

because that what's was in the notes from the former sysadmin.

No offense taken. That's why I'm on here, relearning it all (I've gotten rusty over the last few years)

Cheers!

John VV · 02-02-2017, 01:11 PM

" su " and "su - " are two very different commands

"su" is become root BUT!!! with your NORMAL users $PATH
( you stay in the same folder you were in and you DO NOT have /sbin in the path and a few other restrictions )

"su - " is a shortcut for "su -l root "
log in AS root ( that is a lower case L and not a i )