Password question.

[Steven Vollom]

Eberhard Roloff wrote:
> Steven Vollom wrote:
>   
>> Eberhard Roloff wrote:
>>     
>>> Steven Vollom wrote:
>>>   
>>>       
>>>> I would like to set a password that allows me to enter my system that is 
>>>> very secure, however, when I am in the system, I would like to have a 
>>>> very simple password to enter root, perhaps as small as a couple of 
>>>> letters.  Is this possible?
>>>>
>>>> Steven
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>     
>>>>         
>>> With Linux, genarally anything is possible.;-)
>>>
>>> While this is possible, I would not advise to implent it. The Ubuntu 
>>> concept of the first  user i.e. the admin user is that you use a rather 
>>> secure password to login and then use the same to "su" to root, as needed.
>>>
>>> You can alter this and there are howtos to separate root to use its own 
>>> password.
>>>
>>> It's actually quite simple but I would not advise you to do it since you 
>>> are already familiar with the "Ubuntu way" of doing things. This is 
>>> because, when you do it, your system will behave differently afterwards 
>>> and you will need to treat it differently.
>>>
>>> Kind regards
>>> Eberhard
>>>
>>>
>>>   
>>>       
>> Sorry I wasn't paying adequate attention to what you just wrote.  I was 
>> already thinking of possible reasons for avoiding this.  How does it 
>> change my system?  What change in behavior would be anticipated?  In my 
>> situation, is it more insecure?  TIA, friend.
>>
>> Steven
>>
>>     
>
> Hi Steven,
>
> Well, I cannot answer this. There are numerous discussions around 
> whether the Ubuntu way is more secure or not than "the other way round", 
> which is, just for example, the SuSe or Red Hat way.
>
> Although I surely have my own opinion about this, I will not divulge it, 
> there are to many flames around. ;-)
>
> What are the differences?
>
> Now you are just doing sudo fsck /dev/sda1
> alternatively when you need to be root for any length of time, you will do:
> sudo -i
> Password
>
> With a separate root account, it is similar but not at all identical.
> For example, sudo "something" will no longer work (except if you go and 
> configure it) and you will most likely use "su -" to become root and 
> then "exit" or "Ctrl+D" to exit root.
>
> Furthermore, I think you REALLY might prefer to use a strong root 
> password and a weaker user password, since it is root where a 
> compromised security will have potentially disastrous consequences.
>
> Again, if you are familiar with the Ubnutu way, I would strongly 
> recommend to leave it at that.
>
> If you insist to have a separate password for root, you might google this:
> http://www.ubuntux.org/how-to-change-the-root-password-in-ubuntu
>
> Kind regards
> Eberhard
>   
Dear Eberhard,

I know you understand my limitations; I am old, inexperienced, and do 
not know all the ramifications of what I ask.  Nonetheless, until 
someone can convince me that I can lose more than the OS and some data, 
I am willing to chance that, in favor of the great benefit it will serve 
me.  I don't think my advisers here in the forum believe I will ever use 
the safer Shell.  I think they believe I will just stay in Root.  I also 
believe that they probably have their computers set up to work much the 
same as I want mine, for ease of operation, unless they are subject to 
security issues which I am not.

Now I want to be sure I understand.  I can retain a logged in and 
password protected  sudo shell, and still have a more safe [not password 
protected] Shell to work from.  _I do not want to be in Root all the 
time_.  _I just want to be able to enter that security without have to 
type it in more than once per session_.  I don't feel that I am mistake 
proof, if I stay in Root all the time.  I believe _I am 100% safe with 
an already logged in Root Shell, if I can work from a secured shell, and 
when all I need to do is click on the Session menu item in the shell 
program and open Root Shell and already be logged in._  The contrast of 
their appearance will always be a reminder that I am on dangerous 
ground, and I will be careful.  I have to do that and be careful when I 
get sudo privileges anyway, don't I?

_I DO NOT want to change to a root password, if I cannot have a safer 
shell to work from_.  It is important.  I am always a little stressed 
when I enter a root command.  I am certain before I press the enter 
key.  Please respond one more time to confirm that I can do what I want 
to do and still have a safer Shell to work from.  With gratitude.  And 
lastly, I promise that if my decision is foolish, and I screw up, I will 
post the truth and eat the necessary crow, so that the forum can prosper 
from loss.  I actually believe that it is only appropriate as a solution 
for people with a similar problem, or for those who have an equally 
important reason for doing it.

The feature I am struggling to get back is one I regretted losing, when 
I upgraded from Feisty to Gutsy.  That feature helped me a lot.  And I 
used it the way I described.  _Please answer, I won't go to that website 
if you don't.
_
Steven
>
>
>