Hi Sander, Have a look at Jon's message - I couldn't have put it better myself. I'm just saying the same thing in another way (actually, I wrote this message earlier and it didn't get sent, and I don't want all that effort to be wasted ;-) ). Sander van Vugt wrote:
LOL; perhaps it's not as simple as making a connection to the box and walking in `the front door', as Jerry put it, but it's certainly unwise. Anyway, why are you asking? Why would you log in as root unless you are doing *system*administration*? The root account (AKA Super User account) is *ONLY* for system administration when a privelaged user is not enough. Any time you use the root account, you're asking for real trouble, with or without an Internet connection.
You're perfectly right when you say that you only have to log in as root to do system administration, I totally agree, but the reason I am asking is that some people say you make it easy for a cracker to abuse your system when you are logged in as root and I have never heard any reasons why exactly that is so. Yes, I know you can do some really stupid things to your own system when you have to many rights on it, but it simply seems like a *myth* that my system is easier to hack when I'm logged in as root, so please, if it can be done, give me examples of *how* my system can be hacked then.
It doesn't make your machine easier to get into initially. Instead, it's a case of: if someone *does* manage to gain access to your computer, you're in a lot more trouble if you're running as root (and hence have super user privelages) than if you were logged on as a single user. If, hypothetically, someone does gain access and you're logged in as yourself, then there's not much that person can do. They are limited to the same commands/privelages as you are. If, however, you are logged in as root and someone gains access... if they're out to cause as much damage as possible, etc., a simple 'rm -rf /' would be possible, since they can do *anything* to the system (and that would certainly give you some headaches...). In essence - if you're logged in as root, they don't have to make as much effort to gain total control as they do if they gain access to your user account. Hope that clears it up a bit, Chris -- __ _ -o)/ / (_)__ __ ____ __ Chris Reeves /\\ /__/ / _ \/ // /\ \/ / ICQ# 22219005 _\_v __/_/_//_/\_,_/ /_/\_\ -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/