topic Re: Problem login with root in Operating System - Linux

Problem login with root

Kenneth Leung_2 — Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:03:27 GMT

I got "password incorrect" when I try to "su" to root or "login" with root at console.

However, when I use the "User Manager" in the X-windows, it prompts me to key in the root password. I tried with the root password I got and it succeeded. Therefore, I guess there may be some setting that blocked me from root login. Can somebody help? Thanks a lot.

Re: Problem login with root

Stuart Browne — Thu, 15 Apr 2004 21:47:18 GMT

I'd start by looking at the contents of '/etc/securetty', and the contents of '/etc/pam.d/su'.

I'm picking that someone has restricted the 'su' access to either only work from securetty's, or only from specific users.

Re: Problem login with root

Mobeen_1 — Fri, 16 Apr 2004 00:24:59 GMT

I think you would need to take a look at the file /etc/securetty to see if some one has blocked su to root for specific users. If there is such a thing, remove the same and try again, you should be fine.

If you are unable to figure out, list the contents of /etc/securetty and we would be able to help you determine the changes that need to be made

rgds
Mobeen

Re: Problem login with root

Kenneth Leung_2 — Fri, 16 Apr 2004 01:20:50 GMT

Hello,

The problem is someone has set the "/etc/securetty" with read-only to root......

Re: Problem login with root

Jean-Christophe Valiere — Fri, 16 Apr 2004 08:45:28 GMT

Don't you need to be in the same group as root (wheel) to su ??

Re: Problem login with root

Stuart Browne — Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:47:18 GMT

Jeah-christophe,

That is not a default on any distribution I'm aware of. It can be easily set up using PAM however (put in:

auth sufficient /lib/security/pam_wheel.so trust use_uid

But on most dist's I've seen, it's commented out by default).

Re: Problem login with root

Roberto Polli — Tue, 20 Apr 2004 03:54:17 GMT

For su, this /etc/pam.d/su works for me

#%PAM-1.0
auth sufficient /lib/security/pam_rootok.so
# Uncomment the following line to implicitly trust users in the "wheel" group.
#auth sufficient /lib/security/pam_wheel.so trust use_uid
# Uncomment the following line to require a user to be in the "wheel" group.
#auth required /lib/security/pam_wheel.so use_uid
auth required /lib/security/pam_stack.so service=system-auth
account required /lib/security/pam_stack.so service=system-auth
password required /lib/security/pam_stack.so service=system-auth
session required /lib/security/pam_stack.so service=system-auth
session optional /lib/security/pam_xauth.so

anyway you should read pam manual to keep your box secure
Let Me Know,
Peace, R.