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Re: passwordless root login



On Tue, Oct 14, 2003 at 12:34:37PM -0400, J. Bruce Fields wrote:
| On Tue, Oct 14, 2003 at 08:41:12AM -0700, Paul Johnson wrote:
| > Please don't reply to something on-topic in private.  Sending back to
| > the list...
| 
| I thought it was getting a little off-topic, but OK.
| 
| > On Tue, Oct 14, 2003 at 11:37:50AM -0400, J. Bruce Fields wrote:
| > > On Tue, Oct 14, 2003 at 08:06:03AM -0700, Paul Johnson wrote:
| > > > 
| > > > On Sun, Oct 12, 2003 at 06:30:32PM -0400, J. Bruce Fields wrote:
| > > > > I'd like to configure a debian box to allow root logins without a
| > > > > password; what do I need to do?
| > > > 
| > > > Get a clue!  This is *NOT* something you ever want to do!
| > > 
| > > So your VCR prompts you for a root password every time you switch it on,
| > > does it?
| > 
| > Not the same.
| 
| Why not?

The difference I can see is:
    .   your VCR doesn't have personal information on it (eg name,
            contact info, maybe even financial information)
    .   your VCR doesn't have your work on it (eg papers, projects,
            homework, reports, etc.)
    .   your VCR doesn't store and/or handle personal communication
            (email, typed business or personal letters)
    .   your VCR is not connected to any other systems making it
            _possible_ for someone to remotely control it or obtain
            information from it
    .   the worst a malicious user can do with your VCR is change the
            clock, watch a video, or erase a valuable video (assuming
            they have that valueable video cassette in hand)

| I'm told that there are actually VCR-like devices out there
| running linux; for all I know they could be debian-based.

TiVO?  Yeah, it's linux-based (or so I'm told).  You don't have root
access to it, though, AFAIK (unless you take the hard drive out and
alter it using a separate machine).

| My particular situation is this:

I can imagine there could be situations where strict control is not
such a concern.  Whether or not you have such a situation is for you
to determine.  I just wanted to point out the flaws/limitations in the
VCR comparison.

-D

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