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The root Password Some actions require absolute control of the system, including manipulating core system files such as the kernel, device drivers, and authentication systems. The root account is designed to perform these actions. To use the root password, you can either log in as root at an actual login prompt or, if you are a member of the group wheel, use the switch user command su(1). (We’ll discuss groups in the next section.) I recommend su; it logs who uses it, and it can be used on a remote system. The command is very simple to use: ……………………………………………………………………………… # su Password: # Next, check your current username with the id(1) command: ……………………………………………………………………………… # id uid=0(root) gid=0(wheel) groups=0(wheel), 2(kmem), 3(sys), 4(tty), 5(operator), 20(staff), 31(guest) # ……………………………………………………………………………… You now own the system and I do mean own it. Consider every keystroke very carefully; carelessness can return your hard drive to the unformatted empty metal it shipped with. And use the root password sparingly, because anyone who has the root password can inflict unlimited damage upon the system. Do not give it to anyone who does not strictly need it! This naturally leads to the question “Who needs root access?” Much of the configuration discussed in Absolute BSD requires the use of the root password. Once you have the system running the way you like it, however, you can greatly decrease or discontinue the use of the root password. One of the simplest ways to do this is with the proper use of groups. Groups of Users UNIX classifies users into groups, each group consisting of people who perform similar administrative functions. You can have a group called “www”, which includes the people who edit Web pages, and a group called “email”, which includes the people who manage your mail server. You can set files and directories to be accessible to specific groups. Most group information is defined in the file /etc/group. Each line in the group file contains four colon-delimited fields. The first is the group name. Group names are fairly arbitrary: You could call a certain group of users “xyzzy” if you wished. It’s a good idea, however, to choose group names that give you some idea of what they’re for; while you might remember that the group xyzzy manages your email system today, will you remember it six months from now? Choose group names that mean something. 142

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