Re: Prevent Linux root password change

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 09:41:33 -0700, ray wrote:

On Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:55:07 +0100, Tomislav wrote:

Hello,

looks like physical access to Linux machine ( or UNIX in wider sense )
presents clear danger since simple "chrooting" into operating system
makes changing or blanking root password possible. Few months ago I
obtained Sun Enterprise 3500 server with Solaris on it and I wanted to
see how system on such machine works so I simply booted with Solaris CD
and and just blanked password from /etc/shadow manually. It was so
easy, but in the same time, such easy possibility of access to root
password worries me.

My question is: is there any known method to prevent this on Linux or
any kind of Unix system ?

Physical access to any computer results in total compromise. There is,
for example, a Linux Live CD that will permit you to change the admin
password on an MS machine.

I was gonna' say that but I figured anyone that doesn't know the first
rule of network security (physical access) wouldn't listen anyway.

If someone can unplug and walk away with the machine no other security
measures matter.
.

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