can't su as user

plug@arcticmail.com wrote:
>
> OK, I haven't given it much thought, but how does
> having the wheel group mechanism make it impossible
> to "thwart the rulers?"
>
> Richard: "OK, here's my private key, the passphrase
> to unlock my private key is ``password''. After you
> authenticate as ``rms'', I'm in the wheel group, so
> you can su to root using the root password, which
> is ``root''. Have fun!" If you find a "sympathizer"
> willing to give you the root password, then wouldn't
> the sympathizer be willing to give you his own
> password as well?

Perhaps the root password on one given machine does not match the root
password on many others, however, the passwords used by users are
common throughout a facility. Many of the BOFH's are unwilling to give
users root on the machine that is physically sitting on their own
desk. (makes sense, as they could then sniff packets, for example..)

-- 
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