Any latest linux distro which gives full root access ( NO SUDO )?

07
2014-07
  • Sunny Shah.

    Is there Any latest linux distro which gives full root access ( NO SUDO ) ? I want to use it for programming in which I have to use / file system very frequently.

    What I need is any good linux distro with Nice Installer like Synaptic and Fast Bootup speed like ubuntu 9.04.

    Does Fedora 11 gives full root access?

    Thanks, Sunny.

    • Answers
  • quack quixote

    Becoming root for one session:

    In Ubuntu you can become root for the remainder of the session by typing:

    # old-school method
sudo su

# new hotness, comes highly recommended
sudo -i

    More information and related reading.


    Permanently enabling the root account:

    Further, you may permanently enable the root account by typing:

    sudo passwd root

    and providing a root password. You can then log in as root at your leisure without needing to use sudo.

  • John T

    Why not just log in as root when you start up? You provide the root password in the install process of most distributions (Fedora as you mentioned, is an example). If you forgot this you can reset it from a user account:

    sudo passwd root

    it will then ask you for your new UNIX password.

    If you'd like to become root temporarily AND use root's environment settings:

    sudo su -
  • andrej

    fedora offer full root access by typing

    su

    Or you can use your debian based distro (ubuntu) and type

    sudo bash

    to get semi-permanent root shell.

  • Seasoned Advice (cooking)

    Puppy Linux boots and will auto-login with root user by default.


    • Related Question

    linux - a safer no password sudo?
  • V_H

    Ok, here's my problem - Please don't yell at me for being insecure! :) This is on my host machine. I'm the only one using it so it's fairly safe, but I have a very complex password that is hard to type over and over. I use the console for moving files around and executing arbitrary commands a LOT, and I switch terminals, so sudo remembering for the console isn't enough (AND I still have to type in my terrible password at least once!) In the past I have used the NOPASSWD trick in sudoers but I've decided to be more secure. Is there any sort of compromise besides allowing no password access to certain apps? (which can still be insecure) Something that will stop malware and remote logins from sudo rm -rf /-ing me, but in my terminals I can type happily away? Can I have this per terminal, perhaps, so just random commands won't make it through? I've tried running the terminal emulations as sudo, but that puts me as root.


    • Related Answers
  • whitequark

    Try adding this to your sudo options:

    Defaults timestamp_timeout=0, tty_tickets

    tty_tickets option (on by default) will make sudo ask password if it was not asked previously in that particular tty (including terminal emulators ptys), and timestamp_timeout=0 option will make it not ask it again in the whole session.

    So, when you want to do some administrative operations, you can open terminal, sudo something, close it, and you will be safe again.

  • Rory Alsop

    The obvious solution to me is to reduce the complexity of your password. You seem happy to go for no password rather than a long, complex one, so why not look at this middle ground as a valid option?

    If your machine is connected to a network then there is a risk of compromise. With no password, you do open yourself up to opportunistic exploitation, so even a simple password offers extra security.

  • ewindisch

    The most secure alternative to using no password is to use an alternative authentication method via PAM. You could, for instance, use a smartcard reader. You'd simply insert the card before using 'sudo', and remove it when done. There is even a PAM module for voice authentication. If you can't find a PAM module that you like and you're not comfortable with C, there are Python bindings.

    Check out this list of PAM modules.

  • user39559

    Set rootpw on your /etc/sudoers:

     Defaults        rootpw

    Give root a simpler password than yours.

    Remember to forbid root on ssh, in case you have installed an ssh server.

    If your horrible password is to protect your files, then they are really protected only if they are encrypted, otherwise this is just "security theater". Assuming this is why you wanto to keep the big one, you will be safe: breaking root's password still won't be enough to decrypt your files, and any kind of malware will fry our CPU before guessing the password.

  • Boldewyn

    A different approach to /etc/sudoers and such would be sudo -i and staying root. For example, if you use GNU screen, you can have one window as regular user and a second, where you issue sudo -i and stay root.

    If your ~/.screenrc looks like this, issuing screen automatically opens you two "tabs" accordingly:

    hardstatus alwayslastline "%w"
screen -t normal
screen -t root sudo -i
  • UberJim

    in /etc/sudoers (visudo) add a line like this:

    uberjim ALL = (ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL

    then as your user, once logged in (with your secure password) you can just type:

    sudo /cmd/you/want/to/run

    No password required :) Have fun