[SOLVED] Purpose of entry root in sudoers

axelmunt · 12-04-2014, 07:33 AM

what is the purpose in suduoers configuration file of the following entry ?
root ALL = (ALL) ALL

I thought root had all these rights regardless of sudo

In order to prove this point I commented this entry with visudo
and tried to modify the following file :

-rw-r--r--. 1 test1 test1 14 Dec 4 11:58 test

as the user axel : impossible as expected
as axel -> su to root

ossible and I did not have su to user test

Thanks
Axel

frankbell · 12-04-2014, 08:46 PM

I think these two articles, taken together help clarify this question.

sudo has other uses besides executing root commands; "su" does not mean "super user," as many have concluded (with some reason); it means "substitute user." That entry gives root the rights to sudo as other users, as I understand it. Of course, if I'm off the mark, someone with certainly come along to correct me.

http://www.garron.me/en/linux/visudo...lt-editor.html

http://itg.chem.indiana.edu/inc/wiki/software/165.html

axelmunt · 12-05-2014, 05:33 AM

Thanks for your reply

But I still do not understand the need for the line

root ALL = (ALL) ALL

in the configuration file

When this line is commented out
root can still perform as it ought to
for example it can modify a file it does not own nor is it a member of its group.

Thank you

axelmunt · 12-06-2014, 10:47 AM

Someone provided the answer in another forum

"Yes, sudo does not give the root user any increased access but there is a logging feature of sudo that may be useful to some."