Create a hidden user

**pepsifx357** · June 10th, 2010

Is there a way to create a user that will not show up in the GDM login screen? This user also needs to have sudo access.

Thanks.

**KeyserSoze93** · June 10th, 2010

Try giving the user a UID below 1000. This makes Ubuntu treat the user as a system user, which then won't show up on the login screen.

Add the user in whatever way you prefer, and then run:

Code:

sudo usermod -u 599 newuser

suder usermod -a -G admin newuser

Where 599 is an unused UID below 1000, and newuser is your new user. The first command changes the UID and the second adds the user to the admin group, granting them sudo rights.

**pepsifx357** · June 11th, 2010

So inputting

Code:

sudo usermod -u 999 ben

Would work? Also, lets say I already have a user named ben, would that matter?

and the second code puts the user in the sudoers file correct?

I tried the first command with user name "tech" and got:

Code:

usermod: user 'tech' doesn't exist

**KeyserSoze93** · June 29th, 2010

Neither of the commands create a user. You need to do that first. You can give the user a < 1000 UID at the time of creation too. Try consulting the manual for adduser.

**xenosaga456** · June 29th, 2010

im pretty sure u have to log in as root to do this

**KeyserSoze93** · October 1st, 2010

Originally Posted by xenosaga456

im pretty sure u have to log in as root to do this

sudo does the job on my servers.

**XBMC old School** · February 13th, 2011

Originally Posted by KeyserSoze93

Try giving the user a UID below 1000. This makes Ubuntu treat the user as a system user, which then won't show up on the login screen.

Add the user in whatever way you prefer, and then run:

Code:

sudo usermod -u 599 newuser

suder usermod -a -G admin newuser

Where 599 is an unused UID below 1000, and newuser is your new user. The first command changes the UID and the second adds the user to the admin group, granting them sudo rights.

Hey Keyser,

Your tip worked well. Almost too well. When I go into users/groups my hidden account doesn't show up. So i can't mod or delete it (sorry not an uberTERMINAL user). Though i can see in the /home folder. I gave it a user# under 1000 and group# under 1000.

How do i get it back in the user/group and maintain it as hidden on the loggin? Do i just give the account a user# greater than 1000? If so, how can I do that?