Difference between revisions of "Linux Security/en"

While {{ic|sudo}} and {{ic|su}} look similar and both involve root access they are very different.  {{ic|sudo}} runs a single command as another user and requests the password of your normal user account.  {{ic|su}} lets you *become* root and requests the password of the root user.  In general, it is usually safer to use sudo than to use su.

While {{ic|sudo}} and {{ic|su}} look similar and both involve root access they are very different.  {{ic|sudo}} runs a single command as another user and requests the password of your normal user account.  {{ic|su}} lets you *become* root and requests the password of the root user.  In general, it is usually safer to use sudo than to use su.

Sometimes you will take an action in the terminal or through a GUI application and will get prompted for your password.  This is because the action you are trying to take cannot be completed by you user and requires elevated rights.  Whenever you get a password prompt like this it is important to pause and think if the action you are taking *should* be asking for elevated rights before entering your password.

Sometimes you will take an action in the terminal or through a GUI application and will get prompted for your password.  This is because the action you are trying to take cannot be completed by you user and requires elevated rights.  Whenever you get a password prompt like this it is important to pause and think if the action you are taking *should* be asking for elevated rights before entering your password.