Capturing packets in ethereal as non-root user?
 

I have installed ethereal on my slackware machine. If I login as root and issue this command

The graphical ethereal is launched and I can capture packets and everything works fine. Since I don't want to always be logged in as root I have another account.

When I log in as a normal user and try to issue the same

command I get the graphical ethereal but I am unable to capture packets. I get an error message that says either I didn't not specify the correct interface or I don't have permission to capture packets.

I specify eth0 as the interface when using the program as root, and it works. If I specify eth0 as a non-root user it does not work.

I have tried to su to root and then run the program, but ethereal won't even launch. If I

I get an error, after entering my password, that I (the user I am logged in as) is not in the sudoers file. Then I get another shell prompt and the program never starts.

Is there a way to change the permissions of some ethereal file so that I can use the program as a non-root user? Or do I have to add myself to the sudoers file and always use the sudo command?

Thanks in advance.

-Clayton

Oh BTW... :newbie: :D

don't know why su'ing into root won't run ethereal. it's working here for me. AFIK, ethereal will only run in root. if you want, you could try setting the setuid bit in the permissions on the ethereal executable.

When I try and run ethereal after 'su root' it gives me the same error as when you type say "the98wsjalkjf9shdsshakhs" (i.e. not a real command) into the command line. Something like "ethereal command not found). I'll try when I get home tonight.

Thanks.

I have the same problem myself. I thought I'd be able to find /dev/eth0 but I was wrong. I know the idea is to give my non root user access to read eth0 but I cannot find eth0 itself just config files. Does anyone know where I can find eth0 if possible?

In order to do what I think you want to do you will have to add non-priveleged user umpitysquat to the group network....wich I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU NOT DO! .......big security no-no.....

In order to do what I think you want to do you will have to add non-priveleged user umpitysquat to the group network....wich I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU NOT DO! .......big security no-no.....

do what megaspaz said....if you want to play with permissions....

I would say try doing "su root" then running the full path to ethereal. See if that works.