Re: Simple little basic config questions
On Thu, 30 Oct 2003, Haines Brown wrote:
> > each user has a session and a session key. this key is used to
> > authenticate yourself to the Xserver. Root as a key and each user
> > does.
>
> Yes, that makes sense.
>
> > so when you login as user and then switch to root, it tried to use your
> > root key to access the user session-- no go.
>
> ? When I login as user, and then "su - root," does not root then use
> its own session key? Are you saying that when I "su - root", root
> tries to use user's session key?
no. root uses its key but since you logged in as user, it tries roots keys
in yser 'lock'(session).
>
> one solution is:
> > user% xhost +
> > user% su
> > root! xcalc
> > but this is an insecure hack since in says anyone can snoop on your
> > xserver. but if you are not on the net or have a firewall it may be used,
> >
> > the better solution is to 'merge' your X authenticaion key database but I
> > forgot the command.
>
> Thanks, Kev.
>
> My understanding of Linux is that normally you want to log in as user
> because being root carries with it certain risks. But regularly, we,
> running as user, find that we need to do something that requires root's
> privileges, and so we "su - root". That's what I read in "Running
> Linux" and elsewhere. It's what I've been doing for years.
>
> So I assumed that by moving from RedHats to debian, things would
> continue as before. But they have not. So, the important question that
> still remains unansered: was my installation of debian flawed, or does
> debian simply work differently than what I assume?
>
> Haines
>
This is correct. root will be able to delete any file, etc.
-Kev
Reply to: