Re: question about Linux boxes only running as root

In article <Pine.LNX.4.64.0911061015540.2856@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Michael Black <et472@xxxxxx> wrote:
On Fri, 6 Nov 2009, The Doctor wrote:

Right I got a customer who is only running one account, namely root
and 1 app. I suspect this person is opening himself to trouble.

yes/no?

When this has come up before, it's often become clear after a bit that
the person running as root often can't see an alternative. They hit
something that requires being root, so they think it's better to be root
than configure things properly. A classic example is not being able to
access the CDROM drive, because their user account isn't in the group that
allows access to the CDROM. It's simple to fix, just put their user
account in the group that has access to the CDROM, but too often the
beginner doesn't realize that.

Then of course at least once, and maybe more, someone has whined about how
they can't run something as root, so they want details on how to "fix" it.
They can't switch their mind out of being root, so they think the program
is "faulty", rather than realize it's a clue that they shouldn't be
running as root.

In a single user system, one can actually be pretty lenient, not fussing
quite as much as with a multiple user system. You might as well make the
CDROM and other removeable drives open to all since "all" is only one
user. But far better to take that time to configure things than run as
root.

Michael

But the system can be hacked into.
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