How do I restrict access to certain programs?

[darkscot]

i have got Dansguardian running on my PC and it succesfully blocks 'unsuitable' websites. However I would also like to stop certain users (i.e. my children) using Pan newsreader. What is the best way of doing this? I am using Mandriva One with KDE.

[ramfree17]

try restricting access to the pan reader executable to only a certain group that your children do not belong to[1] and then removing the execution bit for the others [2]. you could also explore using sudo to facilitate executing it for yourself.

 

[1] chown or chgrp can help you here, just check the manpages as i am not on a linux machine right now.

[2] chmod 550 /path/to/executable

 

ciao!

[michaelcole]

we had the same sort of thing in the office restrict programs to different users.

 

What we did was create groups using "User Administrator" is the easiest

 

Then after the different groups are all created add the users to these groups as you feel fit.

 

Then if you kdesu konqueror. You can find the directories of the programs and then just change the access for the groups required.

 

Then check that the files in the bin directories are changed also to the configuration you want.

 

By altering the programs directories and the bin files you make sure that they cannot get to execute any part of the program you are restricting. Some programs will embed parts of the other program with out actually using the executable.

[darkscot]

Of course, groups! Doh!

 

Until recently i have never needed to use groups as I have been the only family member who used Linux. But now i have installed this flashy Mandriva with 3D desktop everyone wants to try it out.

Edited December 8, 2006 by darkscot