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Thread: Root user: to enable or disable...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    Question Root user: to enable or disable...

    I have a question about the root user.


    • I know that Ubuntu disables the root user by default but you can still use sudo


    • I know that you can add/remove users from using the sudo command by entering in:
      Code:
      sudo adduser <username> sudo

    But here is my question, if i don't set a root password, can't anyone hack in, set a root password, and lock me out? And can't a local user on the system (like my son) do the same?

    I've already read this:
    HTML Code:
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/RootSudo
    but I was still confused if it were better security-wise to either:


    1. Leave the root user alone, and make only myself able to use sudo
    2. Enable root, set a lengthy password, and never log on it again, only making myself able to use sudo.


    Which would be better?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
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    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    Leave the root user alone. If/when you have a hosed system and you forget the root password, you are out of luck.

    Physical access = root access, as always. If someone wanted to get onto your machine, they would just use a livecd. If you don't want that happening, encrypt your home directory.
    Come to #ubuntuforums! We have cookies! | Basic Ubuntu Security Guide

    Tomorrow's an illusion and yesterday's a dream, today is a solution...

  3. #3
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    Jan 2008
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    7,744

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    The root account in Ubuntu is not passwordless (as your question implies) but rather the account is completely disabled.

  4. #4
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    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    Quote Originally Posted by snowpine View Post
    The root account in Ubuntu is not passwordless (as your question implies) but rather the account is completely disabled.
    Yeah, the root account is "locked"

    Good catch.
    Come to #ubuntuforums! We have cookies! | Basic Ubuntu Security Guide

    Tomorrow's an illusion and yesterday's a dream, today is a solution...

  5. #5
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    Nov 2011
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    32

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    @snowpine Ah, i see, thank you. I assumed it was passwordless since you have to log on using sudo to create a password.

    @CharlesA In a thread I just recently made, I asked the same question about encrypting the /home directory. Because I didn't know much about it.

    HTML Code:
    http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2086756

  6. #6
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    Oct 2009
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    Ubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    Answered you in your other thread.
    Come to #ubuntuforums! We have cookies! | Basic Ubuntu Security Guide

    Tomorrow's an illusion and yesterday's a dream, today is a solution...

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
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    32

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    @CharlesA Thank you kind sir.

    So I will go with option 1: Leave root alone and make myself the only sudo user

    Thanks to both of you

  8. #8
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    Jan 2008
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    Manchester UK
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    Ubuntu

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    6,537
    Distro
    Ubuntu 13.04 Raring Ringtail

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    Quote Originally Posted by benbrockn View Post
    if i don't set a root password, can't anyone hack in, set a root password, and lock me out?
    To do so they would have to crack your password, which since you're a sudo user means they have root access anyway. So having them fiddle with your root account is the last of your worries.

    Just make sure your password is as strong as you would apply to the root account.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio, USA
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    177
    Distro
    Ubuntu Mate 18.04 Bionic Beaver

    Re: Root user: to enable or disable...

    Quote Originally Posted by snowpine View Post
    The root account in Ubuntu is not passwordless (as your question implies) but rather the account is completely disabled.
    Quote Originally Posted by CharlesA View Post
    Yeah, the root account is "locked"

    Good catch.
    http://news.softpedia.com/news/Canon...s-294538.shtml

    " . . . Erm, we have root. . . . "
    HP Z400 Workstation, Xeon 3680 hexcore 3.33 GHz, 18 GB ram, 2TB hdd; Windows 10; Ubuntu 18.04/Mate; Deepin 20/Beta (doesn't boot)//,160 GB hdd; Ultimate Edition Oz Unity Star Sapphire.

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