Maybe I’m a bit ignorant, but would it make much of a difference? Whether I authenticate with my own account to get root permissions or directly with root, I still have a string of characters which I use to get root priveleges on my machine. For a single (physical) user machine, that allows me to use a separate password for root. Should be better than using the same one twice, right?
If root has a password, it’s only one password; everyone who has root access knows the password, which means that anyone can share it with no accountability. If privilege escalation rights are granted instead, it’s easy to see who did what, as well as to contain any kind of compromise (by revoking said rights).
Also, I think you originally referred to su but sudo allows much more granular control.
I want to know more. Looking past running full desktop sessions as root and inputting stupid commands when sudo su, what’s the problem with having a terminal window open and escalated to root?
There’s some time limit before having to re input it.
Inputting a password multiple times into sudo has downsides too. Larger window for attackers to do something like: add a directory to your path, which has a fake sudo in it, and capture your password.
You get tired of playing Simon Says when you’re doing a lot of admin stuff at once.
Well then still
sudo -swould suffice, no?Have you heard of
su?Having a password for root is Ill advised.
Maybe I’m a bit ignorant, but would it make much of a difference? Whether I authenticate with my own account to get root permissions or directly with root, I still have a string of characters which I use to get root priveleges on my machine. For a single (physical) user machine, that allows me to use a separate password for root. Should be better than using the same one twice, right?
If root has a password, it’s only one password; everyone who has root access knows the password, which means that anyone can share it with no accountability. If privilege escalation rights are granted instead, it’s easy to see who did what, as well as to contain any kind of compromise (by revoking said rights).
Also, I think you originally referred to
subutsudoallows much more granular control.If you do multiple admin commands, sudo doesn’t prompt for your password. There’s some time limit before having to re input it.
Logging in as root is bad security hygiene. You’ll become complacent and leave it logged in at some point. That’s how you get pwnd.
I want to know more. Looking past running full desktop sessions as root and inputting stupid commands when sudo su, what’s the problem with having a terminal window open and escalated to root?
Depends how it’s configured
Inputting a password multiple times into sudo has downsides too. Larger window for attackers to do something like: add a directory to your path, which has a fake sudo in it, and capture your password.