I'm installing ubuntu [solved]

[aioshin]

i' d just tried installing ubunto, well, by just following some instructions, I able to finish the installation, though I got an error on the last part, but it still boot thru console... the error was maybe due to my crdom drive, anyway, I was able to login as user but.... I dont know what was happen, and I remember that I entered my common root password during the install but now, i cant login as root... i can login as user but trying su wont do also, it wont accept my root passwd... is there a way to bypass it,??? or maybe I should now reinstall it again. Im only able to go to cli, havent gone to X yet, when trying startx, there are some errors, but how could I fix that if I dont even able to login as root

 

Edited May 9, 2005 by aioshin

[bvc]

ubuntu uses sudo

the first user made at install can use it

 

sudo <command>

 

examples;

sudo reboot

sudo apt-get install <pkg_name>

sudo vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf

[scarecrow]

Ubuntu doesn't create a root account by default (and it seems it's not wise to create one afterwards, either!), while the sudo password is the first user one.

[tyme]

Ubuntu doesn't create a root account by default (and it seems it's not wise to create one afterwards, either!), while the sudo password is the first user one.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's always a root account, it's a requirement for any *nix system. What it does is not allow you to login to that account, you have to sudo too it. A simple look at /etc/passwd will show you that the root account exists. You can enable it for regular use (although there's no real need to - they have it all set up well) simply by giving it a password.

[arctic]

one of the odd things is that you will be asked to create a root account and a user account if you head for advanced/expert install mode. and if you use the same password for root and first user then, your system will go nuts from time to time....

Edited May 7, 2005 by arctic

[bvc]

I only did the sudo thing for a few days (or less) before creating an using the root account. I've had this install since warty-beta without any problems.

 

/etc/sudoers

# User privilege specification

root ALL=(ALL) ALL

 

# Added by Ubuntu installer

bvc ALL=(ALL) ALL

[aioshin]

thanks really for all the reply, especially the sudo thing, you are all right about it, it was me that had been lost anyway, not my root passwd, did'nt realize that I should RTFM before installing it... thanks

 

 

btw, I'm just trying it, and no plans to replace MDV

 

Edited May 9, 2005 by aioshin

[Jet2k5]

I have bought " Hacking Linux Exposed 2nd Edition" and it shows all the Linux security secrets. From reading the first chapter about 4 times ( a method I use to make sure I remeber every single word in the chapter, before moving on ), Since I use ubuntu, I have sudo too, but I don't think it's too safe.

 

The first reason is that the password for the sudo is the same as the user. So if some cracker gets your user password he also has access to the root accout ( since both passwords are the same) I've found a neat thing that crackers use to exploit passwords. One is when you log on ( gdm or kdm ) you sometimes type the password instead of the user name. So when someone greps a line in some file that I can't remember, it shows a 'FAILED LOGIN' and it usually shows your username, but in this case it shows the password.

 

I found that neat. It's a cool way to know somones password. So I'm thinking that having sudo is not that great, because if a cracker gets the user password then the root account is vanerable and exploited.

 

I'm I wrong, or right? I'm thinking about creating a root account, sure for safety checks. I've been able to understand a crap load form 1 chapter.

 

Highly recommend the book to all of you out there.

 

-Luis

[bvc]

yes sudo is weak and for non unix rooter's

 

root must be compromised to cause damage and sudo adds to that possibility.

Sudo does nothing for a one user desktop that su can not. If you can not point out otherswise, there's no point in giving your personal opinion that contradicts the basic fundamental concepts to the unix sys. Sudo is only good for multiuser systems where root wants an easy way to distribute root privy's to another, or other, users. That is all. Doing so decreases the security of any linux sys. Common sense.

Edited May 11, 2005 by bvc

[jlc]

I wouldn't use this my self

 

ALL=(ALL) ALL

 

 

Except I understand why some people would use this on a desktop box.

Edited May 11, 2005 by cybrjackle

[Artificial Intelligence]

The first reason is that the password for the sudo is the same as the user.  So if some cracker gets your user password he also has access to the root accout ( since both passwords are the same)  I've found a neat thing that crackers use to exploit passwords.  One is when you log on ( gdm or kdm ) you sometimes type the password instead of the user name.  So when someone greps a line in some file that I can't remember, it shows a 'FAILED LOGIN' and it usually shows your username, but in this case it shows the password.

 

-Luis

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I way to avoid this is to have all the username displayed, then you can doubleclick your username and thereafter write your password. Though I've never wrote password in the wrong place....must be in a hurry situation

[jlc]

Here are some examples of stuff I do with sudo

 

 

# User alias specification
User_Alias YUM_FULL=justin
User_Alias MOUNT_DRIVES=justin
User_Alias UMOUNT_DRIVES=justin
User_Alias SHUT_DOWN=justin
User_Alias LOAD_NVIDIA=justin
#User_Alias WOOT_ME=justin

# Cmnd alias specification
Cmnd_Alias YUM=/usr/bin/yum *
Cmnd_Alias MOUNT=/bin/mount /media/*
Cmnd_Alias UMOUNT=/bin/umount /media/*
Cmnd_Alias SHUTDOWN=/sbin/shutdown -h now
Cmnd_Alias NVIDIA=/bin/sh /home/justin/src/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-7174-pkg1.run
#Cmnd_Alias GIVE_IT_UP=/usr/bin/system-config-rootpassword

# User privilege specification
root    ALL=(ALL) ALL
YUM_FULL        ALL=(ALL) YUM
MOUNT_DRIVES    ALL=(ALL) MOUNT
UMOUNT_DRIVES    ALL=(ALL) UMOUNT
SHUT_DOWN       ALL=(ALL) SHUTDOWN
LOAD_NVIDIA     ALL=(ALL) NVIDIA
#WOOT_ME                ALL=(ALL) GIVE_IT_UP

Edited May 11, 2005 by cybrjackle