Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cis.ohio-state.edu!sei.cmu.edu!fs7.ece.cmu.edu!o.gp.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!jb3o+ From: jb3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Jon Allen Boone) Newsgroups: comp.admin.policy Subject: Re: Policies concerning root privs Message-ID: Date: 7 Jun 91 14:09:15 GMT References: , <8560@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA Lines: 37 In-Reply-To: <8560@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> doug@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Douglas W O'neal) writes: > In article ->I'm sure this has been discussed to death in other groups, but I > ->haven't seen it and this seemed to be an appropriate place. > -> > ->I am responsible for some 40 workstations. These workstations are all > ->connected to the Internet, and are dispersed among 18 different > ->groups, each of which would like to have root privileges on their > ->machines. > -> > ->Is this a good/bad idea? What policies have various sites developed > ->to deal with this question? If it's a bad idea, what are various > ->methods for dealing with groups that demand they have root privilege? > ->Any advice for sites on how to approach revoking privileges? > You should find a person in each department and get to know her/him. S/he should be shown around the system, dicussing the various administrative policies along the way, as well as how to fix various problems. Then you should demonstrate how to boot the machine to single-user mode (something they may or may not already know, but will eventually find out!), if they forget the passwd. Then tell them that in the case of a problem, they should report it to you - if you are not available or are too busy to help them, you will authorize them to fix the problem. Most people are probably too busy in a day to day situation, to have to worry about constantly fixing every little thing that is broken - so make sure you pick (if you get to pick) someone who isn't TOO busy, but doesn't just sit around all day and do nothing. ----------------------------------|++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ | "He divines remedies against injuries; | "Words are drugs." | | he knows how to turn serious accidents | -Antero Alli | | to his own advantage; whatever does not | | | kill him makes him stronger." | "Culture is for bacteria." | | - Friedrich Nietzsche | - Christopher Hyatt | -+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-