Hi guys,

One of the things I have always found most appealing about Slax is the fact that one is perpetually Root and can therefore do whatever the hell one pleases without being refused permission or asked for additional passwords.

More latterly with other distros I find myself slipping into old ways and logging in as Root even when there's no sys-admin stuff to be done; simply out of ease and freedom. And so far, I haven't trashed a single system once! I should add that I only operate stand-alone and I'm the only user.

But then it occurred to me that maybe there's more to it. Am I more at risk from on-line threats when habitually messing around with Root privileges? Or am I worrying over nothing (I DO do very frequent whole-system backups so can always 'step back in time').

Are there more of us rooted routinely in Root privileges than is commonly imagined? Am I alone in almost always riding bareback? Your views are invited....

Yes, you essentially eliminate the attacker's need for a privilege escalation exploit.

Good Lord!!
That was a swift response!
Thanks...

By "standalone", are you inferring that you're not connected to the internet? Because, if you *are* running as root whilst connected to the internet, you aren't just putting your own system at risk, but the systems of everyone else who may be connected to the internet, even those of us who wouldn't dream of operating with long-term 'net exposure as root.

cheers,

I'm not worried in the least. All my computers will be just fine despite being connected to the same Internet. Those who think they know what's best for me pose a much greater danger. Give them even a little authority and soon you won't be allowed to get on the Internet unless your computer meets with their approval.

Personally, though, I think you're nuts to run a web browser as root. Not because of hackers or cyber-terrorists or any boolshiat propaganda like that, but because of the very real threat corporate and government spyware represents nowadays. Some people are too big to lose and can get away with anything.

There are many reasons not run as root, more than just security reasons:

1) Most programs are not tested for use as root. The may have bugs in them that will screw up your system without you knowing what happened. Wine most certainly qualifies for this, you should never ever run wine as root (even tho I have, for updating firmware on DVD-RW drive, but I was scared)

2) As previously stated, it much easier to get hacked and the hackers can do much more than they could if you got hacked as a user. See here:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...xploit-712903/
Bascially, as root they can install rootkits and you will never know they even exist. Also, if you run Linux in this way you're removing a lot that stands in the way of hackers. It'll be almost like running Window$ but with fewer bugs. I don't see why you're even using Linux, just for the FLOSS ?

3) You can damage your system very easily, just because it hasn't happened doesn't mean it won't happen.

I agree 100%, on Linux a bigger concern is closed-source stuff like Adobe Flash player and Acrobat Reader, even Firefox is by default Google spyware (type about:config into the URL field of Firefox and then do a search for how many features of Firefox contact Google URLs, it's scary...)

Hey man, it's your computer. Do as you please.

If that includes bypassing one of Linux's best features, (i.e. security), then so be it.

People who tend to use the root account for day-to-day operations are, generally speaking, newbs who don't know how to properly configure their software.

You shouldn't need to use the root account for anything other than sys-admin tasks.

Thanks, guys. Some interesting points from both sides. Well to be on the safe side, I'll do a bare-metal re-install and configure the app permissions properly in future. I should say I wasn't riding entirely bareback, though, as I've always got Shorewall running in its strictest 'paranoid' configuration. I have nothing to hide as such, but highly value a completely in-tact system, that's all.

Hi TM and thanks for your remarks. I'm using Linux because I can't live with Windows any longer and want nothing more to do with Gates and M$. It's nothing to do with cost - it's purely ideological.

I thought so, that would be the only reason to use it if you choose to run as root, because by doing so you deny yourself most of the benefits.

Also, if you get rooted, your system can then be used to attack the rest of us...
Otherwise, if it was standalone, I'd say do what you want ...

Well I get confused with a lot of computer jargon, which doesn't seem to bare any relationship to the real world half the time. When I said "stand alone" I meant it isn't connected to any LAN or other INTERNAL network. If that's not what it means, then please feel free to liberate me from my ignorance.

You did say so your definition of either on-line or standalone needs working on or you're asking theoretical questions or you have the machine connected to a 'net anyway?..

...and to answer the question I agree with those who question your practices (based on facts not fiction). With all due respect, but if you don't get the basics right (UNIX architecture: least privilege, best pratices: root is for maintenance not lusers, deluding yourself thinking self-confessed bad habits equal "freedom") first, then wondering about other threaths makes no sense at all...