\documentclass{ictlab}

\RCS $Revision: 1.6 $

\usepackage{alltt,key}
%\usepackage{floatfig}
\usepackage{wrapfig}
%\usepackage[hang,bf,nooneline]{caption2}
\usepackage[flushleft]{caption2}

\ifx\pdftexversion\undefined \else
  \usepackage[pdfpagemode=None,pdfauthor={Nick Urbanik}]{hyperref}
\fi

\newcommand*{\screenwidth}{0.4\textwidth}
\newcommand*{\labTitle}{Administration, the \texttt{root} User and Configuring \texttt{sudo}}
\renewcommand*{\subject}{Operating Systems and Systems Integration}

\providecommand*{\DHCP}{\acro{DHCP}\xspace}
\newlength{\chainsawwidth}
\setlength{\chainsawwidth}{3cm}

\begin{document}

\section{Aim}
\label{sec:aim}

The aim of this activity is to understand the purpose of the
\texttt{root} account, and the security risks of logging in as
\texttt{root}, and how to avoid them.  The student will appreciate
that system administration with \texttt{sudo} is a useful help to
security.

\section{Background}
\label{sec:background}

You normally log into the computer system as your own user account.
There are only two places where you can create or edit files on the
computer system:
\begin{itemize}
\item in your \emph{home directory};
\item in the \texttt{/tmp} directory.
\end{itemize}
Everywhere else is read only, or offers you no access.
\par
%% \begin{floatingfigure}{\chainsawwidth}
%%   \includegraphics[width=\chainsawwidth]{chainsaw}
%%   \caption{Doing everything as \texttt{root} is like cutting bread
%%     with a chainsaw.}
%% \end{floatingfigure}
\begin{wrapfigure}{r}{\chainsawwidth}
  \includegraphics[width=\chainsawwidth]{chainsaw}
  \caption{Doing everything as \texttt{root} is like cutting bread
    with a chainsaw.}
\end{wrapfigure}
However, to perform system administration, you sometimes need to
change files outside of your home directory, and outside of the
\texttt{/tmp} directory.  How can you perform system administration?
You need to temporarily become the \texttt{root} user.  The
\texttt{root} user account is sometimes called the \emph{superuser},
since this account allows access to everything.  This power is too
great for most activities; with a simple typing mistake, you can
delete the entire hard disk.  Viruses and worms running under the
\texttt{root} account can damage anywhere at all, and have access to
everything on the computer.  Buggy software running as the
\texttt{root} user can do unlimited damage.  Running all software as
the \texttt{root} user is an accident waiting to happen.  It is like
using a chainsaw to cut a loaf of bread.

%% There are various levels of privelege in a computer system.  The user
%% called \texttt{root}, with the numeric user \acro{ID} of 0, is able to
%% perform any action on the computer, including create user accounts,
%% install software, change network settings, and perform general system
%% administration.  There is great power in the \texttt{root} user's
%% account, and this user is also sometimes called the \emph{superuser}.
%% However, the \texttt{root} user can also delete all files on
%% the computer with one command, and can unknowingly install a virus, or
%% unknowingly install a trojan horse program that will allow an attacker
%% to gain remote access to the computer.  There are many system
%% administrative tasks that must be done as the \texttt{root} user, but
%% there are enormous dangers from logging into the X Window system as
%% the \texttt{root} user and remaining logged in.  This worksheet shows
%% how to avoid some of these dangers, and still get your work done.

There are two tools with which you should be familiar: the program
\texttt{su}, and more importantly, \texttt{sudo}.  Here we see how to
use them.

\section{Procedure}
\label{sec:procedure}


\subsection{Using the \texttt{su} Program to Become \texttt{root}}
\label{sec:su}

\begin{enumerate}
\item Log into your Linux system with your own user account,
  \emph{\textbf{not}} as \texttt{root}.

\item In a terminal window, type:
\begin{alltt}
$ \textbf{su -}
\end{alltt}%$
  \begin{explanation}
    Do not type the \texttt{\$}; that indicates the prompt, and that
    you are typing this as a normal user.  When you log in as
    \texttt{root}, the prompt becomes a hash: \texttt{\#}.

    The minus sign `\texttt{-}' tells \texttt{su} to run the login
    scripts of the user you are changing to (here, it is the
    \texttt{root} user).
  \end{explanation}
  
\item When prompted, type in your \texttt{root} password (note, this
  is different from \texttt{sudo}).
  
\item Notice that your prompt has changed to a hash: \texttt{\#}.
  
\item To run graphical programs (an example is \texttt{xclock}), you
  may need to type in another terminal window (or the same one before
  you type the \texttt{su} command) the following command:
\begin{alltt}
$ \textbf{xhost +localhost}
\end{alltt}%$
\item To exit (log out) from the \texttt{root} account, type:
\begin{alltt}
# \textbf{exit}
\end{alltt}
\end{enumerate}


\subsection{Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the \texttt{su}
  Program}
\label{sec:su-adv-disadv}

There is quite a lot of convenience in opening one window,
\texttt{su}ing to \texttt{root}, and leaving that window open.
However, when you go to get that cup of tea, someone else may come and
take advantage of this.  The person who uses \texttt{su} must also
know the \texttt{root} password.  The more people who know a secret,
the less of a secret it is.  It is more secure to use the program
\texttt{sudo}, which we discuss now.


\subsection{The \texttt{sudo} Program}
\label{sec:sudo}

The \texttt{sudo} program allows a senior system administrator to keep
the \texttt{root} password to themselves, and to delegate
responsibility for various tasks to other junior system
administators.

There are some advantages to doing things this way, including the fact
that every command executed using \texttt{sudo} is recorded in the
system logs.  This can help administrators coordinate their efforts;
they can see what the other has done.  Also, a cracker who breaks into
the system and who gets access to the \texttt{root} account will
beunlikely to use \texttt{sudo}, and the break-in will be clearly
visible in the system logs (unless the person is smart enough to cover
their tracks).  Probably the most important thing is that the
administrator does not need to know or remember the \texttt{root}
password, thus making it easier to keep secret, and allowing it to be
changed more often.


\subsection{Configuring \texttt{sudo}}
\label{sec:sonfiguring-sudo}

\begin{enumerate}
\item Become \texttt{root} using the \texttt{su} program, as described
  above in section~\vref{sec:su}.

\item Type:
\begin{alltt}
# \textbf{visudo}
\end{alltt}
  
\item Refer to the chapter about \texttt{vi} in the Linux Workshop
  notes for guidance on using the \texttt{vi} text editor.  You will
  find the `\texttt{o}' and `\texttt{i}' commands useful.
  % : see section~\vref{sec:insert command}.

\item Or, if you prefer \texttt{emacs} to \texttt{vi} like I do, then you
  could type:
\begin{alltt}
# \textbf{EDITOR=emacs visudo}
\end{alltt}

\item Edit the file so that it looks like this, taking care to type it
  accurately, but put your username instead of mine:
\begin{alltt}
# sudoers file.
#
# This file MUST be edited with the 'visudo' command as root.
#
# See the sudoers man page for the details on how to write a sudoers file.
#

\textbf{Defaults timestamp_timeout = 10}

# Host alias specification

# User alias specification

# Cmnd alias specification
# User privilege specification
root    ALL=(ALL) ALL
\textbf{nicku   ALL=(ALL) ALL}
\end{alltt}
Note that two lines were added, nothing else is changed.  But please
use \emph{your own} \LDAP user name here, not \texttt{nicku}!

See \texttt{man sudoers} and search for \texttt{Defaults}, and also
\texttt{timeout} for information about the first line.  It changes the
time that may elapse since you last used \texttt{sudo} before you need
to enter your password again.  The default is normally five minutes.

\item Save it and exit by typing (in \texttt{vi}):
\begin{alltt}
\key{\textsf{Esc}} \textbf{:wq}
\end{alltt}
  and \texttt{sudo} is now configured.  Here we have assigned full
  priveleges to the user, but \texttt{sudo} can be set up to assign
  restricted administration rights to junior administrators.  You can
  learn more by reading the \texttt{man} (manual) pages for
  \texttt{sudoers}, \texttt{sudo} and \texttt{visudo}.
\item Log out from being \texttt{root} by typing:
\begin{alltt}
# \textbf{exit}
\end{alltt}
\begin{explanation}
  Your prompt should end with a dollar; if not, then you have run
  \texttt{su~-} more than once.  Continue typing \texttt{exit} until
  your prompt ends with a dollar: \texttt{\$}.
\end{explanation}
\end{enumerate}


\subsection{Using Sudo}
\label{sec:using-sudo}


\subsubsection{Some Background}

To use \texttt{sudo}, 
\begin{enumerate}
\item you type \texttt{sudo} in front of the command you want to
  execute as the \texttt{root} user.
\item The first time you do this, you will see a warning like this:
\begin{verbatim}
We trust you have received the usual lecture from the local System
Administrator. It usually boils down to these two things:

        #1) Respect the privacy of others.
        #2) Think before you type.

Password:
\end{verbatim}
  
\item At that prompt, you will type \textbf{\emph{your own password}},
  \emph{not} that of the \texttt{root} user.

\item If you use \texttt{sudo} within the next ten minutes (normally
  five) within the
  same terminal window, you will not need to type your password.

\item If you walk away from your computer at all, you can cause the
  ten minute period to expire immediately by typing:
\begin{alltt}
$ \textbf{sudo -k}
\end{alltt}%$
  If \texttt{sudo} is used immediately after this, a passsword will be
  required.

\item Before running a graphical program with \texttt{sudo} for the
  first time in one login session, you need
  to type (as your own self):
\begin{alltt}
$ \textbf{xhost +localhost}
\end{alltt}%$
  to allow any user who is logged into your machine, to display
  graphics on the X server (the network graphics system on which you
  run your graphical user interface).  This includes the user
  \texttt{root}, who is otherwise barred from display while you are
  running X from your account.
  
%% \item I suggest that you install the \textsf{Acrobat Reader} onto your
%%   machine, following the work sheet I have written about that at
%%   \url{http://ictlab.tyict.vtc.edu.hk/ossi/lab/install-acrobat/install-acrobat.pdf}.
\end{enumerate}


\subsubsection{Exercise using \texttt{sudo}}

\begin{enumerate}
\item Try to display the special \emph{log} file
  \texttt{/var/log/secure}:
\begin{alltt}
$ \textbf{cat /var/log/secure}
cat: /var/log/secure: Permission denied
\end{alltt}%$
Hmm, it says permission is denied.  Only system administrators can see
this log file.  Let's use \texttt{sudo}:
\begin{alltt}
$ \textbf{sudo cat /var/log/secure}
\end{alltt}%$
Make sure you enter \emph{your own} password, and not that of \texttt{root}.
\end{enumerate}


\subsection{Why Use \texttt{sudo}?}
\label{sec:why-use-sudo}

There are four main reasons for using \texttt{sudo}:
\begin{itemize}
\item Only one person needs to know the root password.  A secret
  shared between ten system administrators is no longer a secret.
\item You only run as root the commands that you need to run as root.
  This increases security significantly.  The less you do at the
  highest privelege level, the better.
\item A senior system administrator may \emph{delegate} only some
  duties to others (i.e., backup, printing administration,\,\ldots),
  since \texttt{sudo} allows the senior administrator to allow
  priveleged access to only the required commands.
\item Every command executed using \texttt{sudo} is recorded in a
  \emph{log file}.  On Red Hat 9, this is \texttt{/var/log/security}.
  For each command executed using \texttt{sudo}, the following details
  are recorded:
  \begin{itemize}
  \item The time the command was executed
  \item The user who executed the command
  \item What user the command was effectively executed as (usually
    root, but you can change that with the \texttt{-u \meta{user}}
    option to \texttt{sudo} --- see \texttt{man sudo}).
  \item What the current directory was that the command was executed
    in
  \item What terminal was used (i.e., was the user logged in locally,
    or over the network?)
  \item The exact command, with its exact location in the file system.
  \end{itemize}
  This log allows the system administrator to go back and find out
  what was done when by who.  If the system stops working properly,
  the logs can provide information about what was done at the time,
  and if a mistake was made, it can be identified and rectified.
\end{itemize}

\subsection{Warning!}
\label{sec:warning}

From now on, if I see anyone logged in as the \texttt{root} user into
the X Window system, I will make a mental note of this person as being
a poor student, and I will then take careful note of any other poor
behaviour!   Seriously, it is \emph{very} amateur behaviour to remain
consistently logged into an X Window system as the \texttt{root}
user.  If I catch you doing this, expect a stern warning.

Similarly, I do not want to see you using a window \texttt{su}ed to
\texttt{root} for extended periods of time, and I will similarly
criticise you for doing so.  Such behaviour leaves the system open to
security abuse by others.

I want all of you to get into the habit of using \texttt{sudo} for
system administration tasks.  You will be a better system
administrator for this, and your system will be less easy to crack.

Note that at your workplace, you should ensure that the number of
people who can use \texttt{sudo} on the system you are responsible for
is limited as much as possible.
\end{document}