topic Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform in Operating System - HP-UX

How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Mehdi_3 — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 10:49:30 GMT

I want to create a second administrator (root) on a server under HP-UNIX 11.0 platform.
I've heard that this is possibile but i don't know how to do.
Is it possible to do it with SAM ???

Thanks

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

John Carr_2 — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 10:54:59 GMT

Hi

you can create a nornal user account using sam, and specify user id 0. which gives root privlidges.

John.

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Marc Dijkstra — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 10:57:52 GMT

It is possible, but has inherent risks attached to it. Remember that if you "backdoor" the roor user, anything that you do to the NEW user will apply to root. Thus keep the shells the same at ALL times.

Just create a user in the /etc/passwd file with the same UID of root, that being 0.

Just be careful.....

MND

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Rainer von Bongartz — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 11:00:01 GMT

Create a user account and give it the user id 0.

I'm no sure SAM will allow this but you can easily change the UID number in the passwd file.

But be aware: Having a second UID=0 is a potential security risk and not recommended !!

Regards
Rainer

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Clemens van Everdingen — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 11:03:36 GMT

Hi,

It is possible but be aware of the following.

System Administrator may set up multiple accounts with the same uid, however this is done with the understanding that reverse uid lookups will find only the first instance of a
uid in the /etc/passwd file. Multiple accounts with the same uid are allowed, but will not work as expected with all commands.

C.

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

John Carr_2 — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 11:07:40 GMT

Hi

as I said earlier you CAN do this in SAM I did it before I posted the answer.

John.

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Printaporn_1 — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 11:27:48 GMT

Hi,

I don't like the idea to create another user with id 0.
what happen if you delete that user in sam with remove all files that belong to this user.

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Heiner E. Lennackers — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 11:39:54 GMT

Hi,

you can just duplicatie to root-line in the /etc/passwd file and change the name and the password, but:

You do not really have to "root" accounts: You will not be able to differ between this two account or even see, what was been done by which account.

Heiner

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Bill Hassell — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 12:56:55 GMT

Yes, you can have multiple root users by simply editing the passwd file. However, it is a SEVERE security and stability risk!!!! Don't do it!!!

The first thing a hacker tries to do when breaking in is to attain root privileges and the one of these ways is to change an ordinary user ID into UID=0. Also, this poor user that is 'privileged' to have UID=0 will perform all normal functions with root privileges (reading email, writing scripts, cleaning up directories) and will very likely forget that rm -r * is incredibly dangerous. And then if that user leaves the company and you remove their login along with all the files that they own, you will destroy the entire system.

There are many other risks to such a plan. Instead, look at the man page for SAM concerning -r or restricted SAM and assign the required duties to this user. SAM will control access rights and the user is still an ordinary user.

Another alternative (very useful) is to download sudo, the SuperUser enablement program. It not limits users as to the types of commands they can run but can even limit the parameters allowed with specific commands (such as the device file used for mounting a CDROM).

Get a copy from: http://hpux.connect.org.uk/ (the HP-UX Porting and Archive Centre) or any of their mirrors.

Re: How to add a second root on a HP-UX platform

Magdi KAMAL — Wed, 03 Apr 2002 14:22:02 GMT

Hi Mehdi,

Edit your /etc/passwd and add your new username and then assign it a "0" as a User ID.
This will allow you to have a second root user on the Unix box.

Magdi