sudo is really annoying and less secure to me

[rabbitnightmare]

I was simply trying to set it up so I didn't have to type in the damn password everytime I wanted to sudo something and I hosed my config as https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo doesn't give clear instructions on how to sudo visudo and expects you to know what you are doing. I broke sudo and now have no friggen clue how to get it back! Why can't Ubuntu follow a simple guideline and allow root accounts.
I am logged into the sudoer account why do I need to type the password in when I am logged in chances are the one logged in knows the password. I am peeved to say the least and have a simple solution to a complex problem. Allow the root account. Why is this such an issue? I hate sudo and am about to switch distros as soon as I find the one I like simply because of my sheer hatred of sudo. This user unfriendly extra step is more annoying, imho, than the UAC. True it may not be so in your face but it is just as insulting and after a while it drives you to not want to use it anymore. Make it so it autologgs root off after 5 minutes of inactivity. Sudo has got to go! Reason I hate Macs!
UPDATE: I found instructions on how to fix it but this is really a deal killer for me. I am switching as soon as I find something better.

[NightwishFan]

Sudo is alright. I find that it makes some tasks real simple. (I setup sudo on my debian system)

[Bubba64]

I was simply trying to set it up so I didn't have to type in the damn password everytime I wanted to sudo something and I hosed my config as https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo doesn't give clear instructions on how to sudo visudo and expects you to know what you are doing. I broke sudo and now have no friggen clue how to get it back! Why can't Ubuntu follow a simple guideline and allow root accounts.
I am logged into the sudoer account why do I need to type the password in when I am logged in chances are the one logged in knows the password. I am peeved to say the least and have a simple solution to a complex problem. Allow the root account. Why is this such an issue? I hate sudo and am about to switch distros as soon as I find the one I like simply because of my sheer hatred of sudo. This user unfriendly extra step is more annoying, imho, than the UAC. True it may not be so in your face but it is just as insulting and after a while it drives you to not want to use it anymore. Make it so it autologgs root off after 5 minutes of inactivity. Sudo has got to go! Reason I hate Macs!
UPDATE: I found instructions on how to fix it but this is really a deal killer for me. I am switching as soon as I find something better.

From what I understand which is very little root account access is what makes windows so vulnerable, besides being around90% of the worlds computers used.

[hyper_ch]

Allow the root account. Why is this such an issue?
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=765414

I hate sudo and am about to switch distros as soon as I find the one I like simply because of my sheer hatred of sudo. This user unfriendly extra step is more annoying, imho, than the UAC.
If you think so...

but it is just as insulting and after a while it drives you to not want to use it anymore.
Hasn't happened...

I am switching as soon as I find something better.
That, of course, is up to you. Good luck on your new OS.

[kerry_s]

Sudo is alright. I find that it makes some tasks real simple. (I setup sudo on my debian system)

i agree, i always use sudo on debian, on mine i removed the root password manually from shadow, then "sudo passwd -l root" to lock it up tight.
the concept is simple, with a root account they know your name they only have to crack the password, with sudo they must guess your name and then crack your password.

i also make my life easier with the nopasswd for certain programs.

[fuzzyk.k]

well i think it is less secure after you enter the password once you can run administrative tools without it, i would suggest for GUI ubuntu should develop something like the PClinuxOS icon. with it you can tell the computer to forget the authorization once you are finished

no offence ment

[niteshifter]

Hi,

Nice vent. So let me get this straight: You attempted to circumvent a protective measure, one designed to keep the system from getting whacked by people doing things at full privilege, when they shouldn't because they didn't think it through / didn't know all they thought they did / and now have a whacked system?

There's a clue there :rolleyes:

Fix it up, then use that handy Root Terminal. Or sudo su, or sudo -i. A bit of googling will disclose how to fully enable root user in Ubuntu.

[ASULutzy]

The idea that sudo is less secure is so flawed. The idea that somehow because your user password is the sudo password that the system is less secure is wrong.

Either way it comes down to choosing a strong password.

If you had a root account and had a weak root password it could be guessed.
If you have a normal user with sudo rights and it has a weak password it could be guessed.

Strong passwords are where it's at.

And if you really want to be "root" there's about 10 different commands you could type in that give you a root shell.

Go run linspire or something ;)

[Dr Small]

I even installed sudo on Arch, because I was annoyed at having to login as root everytime I wanted to execute a command by root.

[Cap'n Skyler]

cant the time allowed for the password to be valid be changed?up the availablilty of access.would that be of any help?:popcorn:

[Steve413z]

I agree that sometimes having to enter your password for sudo could be a security problem

for example... shoulder surfers

[Steve413z]

sudo visudo.

[yaztromo]

I have to agree with the OP, I don't feel about it so strongly. I certainly don't hate sudo, but it's the first thing I disable when I set up SSH access to my box. It's far more secure to disallow root logins on the sshd.conf and disable sudo for your user name. So if somebody breaches your own account, they at least can't sudo.

For normal desktop use sudo is alright, but for servers with remote admin SSH it's dangerous.

[kerry_s]

Play with these settings: (make sure to backup the file first) not sure exactly what you are trying to do
sudo nano /etc/sudoersgksu gedit /etc/sudoers

that will break things real fast, they'll find it's read only than want to change it, next thing you know no more sudo. sudoers should always be edited with sudo visudo.

[ASULutzy]

I have to agree with the OP, I don't feel about it so strongly. I certainly don't hate sudo, but it's the first thing I disable when I set up SSH access to my box. It's far more secure to disallow root logins on the sshd.conf and disable sudo for your user name. So if somebody breaches your own account, they at least can't sudo.

For normal desktop use sudo is alright, but for servers with remote admin SSH it's dangerous.

huh? If you don't allow root logins in sshd.conf, and you disable sudo for your user name... then how are you supposed to actually use SSH to do anything useful other than browse your home folder?

A much better solution would be to use a public/private key pair to secure your ssh. And if you did it that way you'd still be able to do useful things remotely, like install new applications.

[ASULutzy]

that will break things real fast, they'll find it's read only than want to change it, next thing you know no more sudo. sudoers should always be edited with sudo visudo.

Yea, he's 100% right. Never edit that file in any way other than through sudo visudo.

If you use gedit or nano and hose it, you'll lock yourself out of your own system.

[yaztromo]

huh? If you don't allow root logins in sshd.conf, and you disable sudo for your user name... then how are you supposed to actually use SSH to do anything useful other than browse your home folder?

Use su. This way to SSH root admin a server you have to know both your own password and then the root password when you su. With sudo all you have to know is one password.

[Steve413z]

that will break things real fast, they'll find it's read only than want to change it, next thing you know no more sudo. sudoers should always be edited with sudo visudo.

i never had a problem using nano
the only difforence is visudo does some error checking before it makes the changes, but if you don't know vi, it's nearly impossible to use

[Dr Small]

i never had a problem using nano
the only difforence is visudo does some error checking before it makes the changes, but if you don't know vi, it's nearly impossible to use
You could simply use:
export EDITOR="nano"; sudo visudo

[jrusso2]

The idea that sudo is less secure is so flawed. The idea that somehow because your user password is the sudo password that the system is less secure is wrong.

Either way it comes down to choosing a strong password.

If you had a root account and had a weak root password it could be guessed.
If you have a normal user with sudo rights and it has a weak password it could be guessed.

Strong passwords are where it's at.

And if you really want to be "root" there's about 10 different commands you could type in that give you a root shell.

Go run linspire or something ;)

Linspire is based on Ubuntu and uses Sudo the same way Ubuntu does

[stream303]

For historical reasons, remember that this sudo vs non-sudo issue has been with us since about 4.1BSD in 1980 afaik....

[Eman1955]

I agree with you to an extent. I used Xandros for a while and wow, what an easy way to use root - sign in as root!

I'm trying to edit a root file and it won't let me save the changes even when I'm logged in as the root user. What the *^%^(#@

At least I think I'm logged in as root: Terminal shows root@bob-laptop:~#

Please help or let me die on the vine!

E

[cmay]

if you like ubuntu but want the root account like default debian then use the alternate install cd.
i did that the first time i installed ubuntu.
how ever in time i have come to like sudo pretty much
so i use visudo on all distros i try that has
debians default set up scheme.

[p_quarles]

Moved to Recurring Discussions.

This is really a dead topic. Anyone who has an opinion either way should know already how to change the settings to their liking. That said, Ubuntu's model for root access is to use the sudo application, and other configurations are not supported on this forum. See here (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=765414) for further details.

[Raccoon1400]

I prefer su

[zetetic]

I was simply trying to set it up so I didn't have to type in the damn password everytime I wanted to sudo something and I hosed my config as https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo doesn't give clear instructions on how to sudo visudo and expects you to know what you are doing. I broke sudo and now have no friggen clue how to get it back! Why can't Ubuntu follow a simple guideline and allow root accounts.
I am logged into the sudoer account why do I need to type the password in when I am logged in chances are the one logged in knows the password. I am peeved to say the least and have a simple solution to a complex problem. Allow the root account. Why is this such an issue? I hate sudo and am about to switch distros as soon as I find the one I like simply because of my sheer hatred of sudo. This user unfriendly extra step is more annoying, imho, than the UAC. True it may not be so in your face but it is just as insulting and after a while it drives you to not want to use it anymore. Make it so it autologgs root off after 5 minutes of inactivity. Sudo has got to go! Reason I hate Macs!
UPDATE: I found instructions on how to fix it but this is really a deal killer for me. I am switching as soon as I find something better.

The problem is you, not Ubuntu. It easy very easy to disable sudo, configure sudo the way you would like it to work, activate the root account, etc.

Only problem here is at your side... You can't understand what you read.

[cardinals_fan]

I prefer su
+1

[smartboyathome]

I enabled sudo on arch as well. I don't like having to login as root either just to run a command, and it is more "automatic" for me than using su -c for everything. I keep it enabled though, in case I need to resque my system and my user account isn't working. It is a bad idea to log in as root, as a script can be run from the internet on your computer, but not with sudo/su.