Re: debian system users delete or change access

[michael@etalon.net]

Quoting Brent Clark <bclark@eccotours.dyndns.org>:

> Hi list
>
> I have the following in my /etc/passwd file.
>
> daemon:x:1:1:daemon:/usr/sbin:/bin/sh
> bin:x:2:2:bin:/bin:/bin/sh
> sync:x:4:65534:sync:/bin:/bin/sync
> games:x:5:60:games:/usr/games:/bin/sh
> man:x:6:12:man:/var/cache/man:/bin/sh
> lp:x:7:7:lp:/var/spool/lpd:/bin/sh
> mail:x:8:8:mail:/var/mail:/bin/sh
> news:x:9:9:news:/var/spool/news:/bin/sh
> uucp:x:10:10:uucp:/var/spool/uucp:/bin/sh
> proxy:x:13:13:proxy:/bin:/bin/sh
> backup:x:34:34:backup:/var/backups:/bin/sh
> operator:x:37:37:Operator:/var:/bin/sh
> list:x:38:38:Mailing List Manager:/var/list:/bin/sh
> irc:x:39:39:ircd:/var/run/ircd:/bin/sh
> gnats:x:41:41:Gnats Bug-Reporting System (admin):/var/lib/gnats:/bin/sh
> nobody:x:65534:65534:nobody:/nonexistent:/bin/sh
>
> Ive always wondered, can I delete these users / groups, or maybe change
> the shell access to /bin/false instead.

I suppose you could, but it might break your system.
All those system users are there for a reason. I would guess mainly to 
run apps or processes as non root.