shutdown by regular user

[Karl Auer]

On Thu, 2015-03-26 at 17:37 -0400, Niles Rogoff wrote:
> The shutdown group with the sudoers file is the correct way to do it.

For the OP - true.

But:

> > - have a cronjob that checks every minute for a specific file in /tmp
> > and shuts down if the file exists

Useful if you have users whose only access is via shared filespace. By
the way, the cronjob should also delete the file :-)

> > - have a setuid script that shuts the system down

Useful if the grouping technique is too unwieldy, or if the shutdown
needs to happen via an icon-click, without typing stuff (including
without typing a password).

> > - have a "shutdown" group, put your users into it, add a sudoers rule to
> > let that group shut the system down

Best in general, as you say, but see above and below.

> > - put the system on a UPS, run a UPS client that will shut the system
> > down if the power fails, and tell your users to turn off the power to
> > the UPS in an emergency.

Useful if you have users with NO access to the CLI, but who CAN access
the power switch.

There is rarely only one right way. Except that the milk goes in the
teacup BEFORE the hot water;  that's obviously a given.

Regards, K.

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