topic "su - <username>" asks for password unless isued by root in Operating System - HP-UX

"su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Arturo Castaneda — Fri, 03 May 2002 13:50:39 GMT

I'm logged as root at the system, every time I issue a "su - " to switch to any user the system asks for the password, what's going on?

Any way to avoid this?

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

John Palmer — Fri, 03 May 2002 13:56:38 GMT

Hi,

Check the permissions of the su command. They should read:-

-r-sr-xr-x 1 root bin

Regards,
John

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Sukant Naik — Fri, 03 May 2002 13:57:15 GMT

Hi Arturo,

By default the root user must be allowed to do a su to any account without prompting for a password.

I only suspect the /etc/default/security file or the /etc/nologin file.

Please do man security .

Just my two cents.
-Sukant

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Alex Glennie — Fri, 03 May 2002 13:57:41 GMT

well it's not normal behaviour what's the O/S ? is nis or trusted systems involved here ?

I'd advise patching wrt su eg 11.00 PHC0_16127

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Charlie Rubeor — Fri, 03 May 2002 14:00:39 GMT

It sounds like you are using DCE (Distributed Computing Environment.) If so, then I believe that you are stuck and will have to provide the password, even if you are logged in as root.

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Helen French — Fri, 03 May 2002 14:01:41 GMT

Hi,

Your subject and the question gives some confusion. Normally 'su -' issued by root will not require a password. But if issued by another user, then it will prompt for the password.

If you are root, then check if any alias set for this command:

# alias

If 'su' invoked with -d option, then it will prompt for the password even if it is root. See man pages of su

HTH,
Shiju

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Mark Vollmers — Fri, 03 May 2002 14:05:35 GMT

the patch for the 10.20 OS is PHCO_14258

http://us-support2.external.hp.com/wpsl/bin/doc.pl/screen=wpslDisplayPatch/sid=7fdbb6520e70716fad

Mark

Re: "su - " asks for password unless isued by root

Arturo Castaneda — Fri, 03 May 2002 14:12:21 GMT

In fact I'm logged in as root, not as any other user, that's why it seems so strange to me that it prompts for the password. I'm using HP-UX 10.20

Best Regards.