Re: [PLUG] log as root or not ?

[John Lavin <jlavin@ccil.org>]

christophe barbé said:
> My understanding was that it was bad because the root password goes
> through the network in clear and then it was better to log as a normal
> user and then su to root.
Your password still goes in the clear.

> It seems no more a good reason with openssh and other secure links to
> avoid to log as root.
Not sure if you're saying ssh is a bad or good thing here.  I think it a
good thing.  I don't log in su as root remotely in the clear.

> My point of view is : I used to log on a remote machine as a normal user
> and as root, depending on what I want to do. I never use the password
> for this two accounts and use ssh authorized keys instead. Then I don't
> remember the passwords (and would prefer not to have to) so su from the
> normal user to root seems inconvenient.

The only issue with adding authorized keys for root is that if someone
gains root on your local machine, they have it on the remote one as
well.  Even if it is inconvenient, it is safer to su after a ssh login
as yourself IMHO.

-john
--
John Lavin
jlavin@ccil.org
Public Key: http://mercury.ccil.org/~jlavin/lavin-public-key.gpg
______________________________________________________________________
"Petty fears and petty pleasures are but a shadow of the reality."
    - H.D. Thoreau

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