Re: root login

[Ole Laursen <olau@hardworking.dk>]

Michael Toomim <toomim@uclink4.berkeley.edu> writes:

> Why do crackers attack unix and email virii attack windows?  The
> former want a server, the latter want a ubiquitous operating
> environment -- end of story.  The root/user separation has nothing to
> do with why windows users are plagued by things like the I Love You
> virus.

Although, it perhaps hasn't, in fact it has anyway. Most Unix software
has a much longer tradition for thinking about security. The root/user
separation is in some way part of this, although I to some extent
agree with your point that the personal data is much more important
than any of the system files.

For a multi-user system, there is quite a lot of difference between
your own data and everyone's data, though. If you screw up as root,
you can affect everyone; not so if you screw up as yourself only.

-- 
Ole Laursen
http://www.cs.auc.dk/~olau/