Re: Urgent !!! Is vnc viewer a peeper ?

From: Raymond Pasco (ray_at_caedescontego.net)
Date: 08/29/05 

Date: Mon, 29 Aug 2005 05:18:12 GMT

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Sally wrote:
> Hi, Ray, thanks for your time,
>
> the "owner" gives the computers, he programs with linux (clearing OSs from
> old computers and putting Linux on as I understand it), away for free. (He
> is definitly 'skilled') He lives in another suburb. He told me, that he can
> decipher my user password and change it. The user passord I only see in
> dots, when I put it in. So what's the situation with any other password..?
> Please explain, what he's actually able to do from his computer in regards
> to mine without offcourse being physically here.
>
> What does 'the know how to use a shell(?)' mean?
>
> Sally
> "Raymond Pasco" <ray@caedescontego.net> wrote in message
> news:lrvQe.627$nB6.372@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com...
>
> Sally wrote:
>
>>Ray, can they get access to passwords (bank etc.) confidential info etc.
>>I
>>submit through the Internet (or any other I save on my computer)? And
>>then:
>>Couldn't they translate a command line?
>
>>Thanks for the "top-notch-fill-in" on the 'tiny' bit annoying top posting
>>practice..
>
>>Sally
>
> Sally, unless this information is encrypted (like your system password
> is) then a user with root access can read it. The person with root
> access is usually the owner of the physical machine. Also if this
> person's skilled with Linux, then they know how to use a shell.
>
> --
> Ray (Our name is Legion, for we are many.)
Well, root can use the passwd command to change passwords, without
entering an "old password". A shell is the program that processes the
commands entered at the command line. If you're computer's on the
Internet (which I assume it is) it can be remotely logged into as any
user, including root, using ssh.

Basically, root is a user with special powers. Root can access/edit any
given file on the machine, no matter what its permissions are. This is
why you log in as a user other than root, to avoid damaging the system.
However, some administrative actions require root access.
- --
Ray (Our name is Legion, for we are many.)
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