Re: [cobalt-security] can't su -

[Dan Keller <cobalt@xxxxxxxxxx>]

At 12:31 PM 9/9/02 -0400, you wrote:
>...when I log into the system as an unpriveleged user and try to su to root, I can't. The system says that the password is incorrect - even though it's not. I can login to the system with the root account just fine so I know there's nothing wrong with the account.
>
>Is this some type of security feature on the system?

Yes, exactly.  Only members of the group named "wheel"
are allowed to su.  As initially configured, only "admin"
belongs to this group.  So if you need to be root, login as
admin and then su.

If you must, you can add other users to the wheel group
by editing /etc/group.  Thus, they, too, will be empowered
to su.

This is indeed a security feature, and it's a good one.

Dan Keller