Lecture 15

User Management

 User Types
o Super User
o Custom or Normal User
o System Users (no login)
 Why multiple users?
 User Directories and Files
 User management basic commands
 How to create users and passwords?
 How to modify users?
 How to delete users?
 How to view and change users Password Policy?
 How to switch between users?
 How to give Super User privileges to Custom Users?

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User Types
There are three types of users to work and manage Linux
 Super User: A User with all the privileges to do anything
 Custom or Normal User: Custom Users created for performing various
tasks
 System Users (nologin): Built-in Users work in background (no need to
login)

Why Multiple Users?

Multiple users are created because of Security and Task Scheduling
 Security: Multiple users can’t see other users files and can work securely
 Task Scheduling: Many users can login at the same time to work
simultaneously

User Directories and Files

 Super User Directory: /root
 Custom User Directory /home

User IDs
Super User and Group IDs: UID = 0, GID = 0
System User and Group IDs: UID = 1-999, GID = 1-999
Super User and Group IDs: UID = 1000+, GID = 1000+

 Super User: User file: /etc /root // contain all info about
root
 Custom User: Users File /etc /passwd // contains all info about
custom users
 Custom User: Passwords File /etc /shadow // contain all passwords of
custom users

Check and Edit Users and Password Files

# vim /etc /passwd // it will open users file to see and edit
users

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Example Output for root user (root)

root :x :0 :0 :root :/root :/bin /bash

root -> username

:x -> mask password file which contain all passwords
:0 -> user ID
:0 -> group ID
:root -> user full name
:/root -> home directory
:/bin /bash -> shell type

Note the difference between the following two outputs at the end of output
lines
:/bin / bash -> it means user have a shell and can login to
system
:/sbin / nologin -> it means user do not have a shell and cannot login

Example Output for Custom user (Ahmad)

ahmad :x :1006 :1006 :tanveer ahmad:/home :/bin /bash

ahmad -> username

:x -> mask password file which contain all passwords
:1006 -> user ID
:1006 -> group ID
:tanveer ahmad -> user full name
:/home -> home directory
:/bin /bash -> shell type

# vim /etc /shadow // it will open password file to see and edit
passwords

Example Output for root user (root)

root :x :$ - - - - - :0 :9999 :7 ::::

root -> username

:$ - - - - -> it shows the password is encrypted
:0 -> Minimum Expiry Days

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 :9999 -> Maximum expiry Days
:7 -> Change password Alert

Example Output for Custom user (Ahmad)

ahmad :x :$ - - - - - :0 :9999 :7 ::::

ahmad -> username

:$ - - - - -> it shows the password is encrypted
:0 -> Minimum Expiry Days
:9999 -> Maximum expiry Days
:7 -> Change password Alert

User management basic commands

# whoami -> to check current user details
# id -> to check user ID
# who -> to check current user logged in to system
#w -> it shows the system hardware status
# last -> it shows when system is rebooted last time
# system-config-users -> users and groups management by GUI
interface
# init 0 -> shutdown system
# init 6 -> restart system
How to create users and passwords?
# useradd user1 -> it will create user with username User1
# vim /etc /passwd -> to check the username is created in the users file
# useradd –c “Tanveer Ahmad” ahmad -> it will create user ahmad with
full name
# vim /etc /passwd -> to check the username is created in the users file
# mkdir CustomUsers -> it will create a user define directory to
store users
# useradd –d /CustomUsers /username -> it will create a user inside directory
CustomUsers
# useradd –s /sbin /nologin ali -> it will create a user ali but can’t login
# su username -> to switch user #exit -> to exit
from user
# su - username -> to forcefully switch user to its default
directory

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# passwd Press-enter -> it will ask for new password to change
# passwd username -> to set the password for user
# passwd –l username -> to lock the password for user
# passwd – u username -> to unlock the password for user
# tail /etc /shadow -> to check passwords and related info (last
10 users)
How to modify users?
# usermod –c “Ali Raza” ali -> it will modify user ali with full name
# vim /etc /passwd -> to check the username is created in the users file
# usermod –L user1 -> it will lock the user (error. User Authentication
Fail)
# ls –l /home -> to check the username is deleted from the users
file
# usermod –U user1 -> it will un-lock the user back to work
# vim /etc /passwd -> to check the username is deleted from the users
file
# usermod -u 1020 username -> to change the user ID to new ID
# id username -> to verify the user ID is changed
How to delete users?
# userdel user1 -> it will delete user1- only user deleted not directory
# vim /etc /passwd -> to check the username is deleted from the users file
# ls –l /home -> it will still shows the user directory exists
# userdel –r user1 -> it will delete user1also delete user directory
# vim /etc /passwd -> to check the username is deleted from the users
file
# ls –l /home -> it will not show the user directory
How to view and change users Password Policy?
# chage -l user1 -> it will show password details or password policy
# chage user1 -> it will give you facility to change password policy
How to Switch between users?
# su -> it will switch to root user by default
# su - -> it will switch to user with default directory
# su - username -> it will switch to any user with its default directory
How to give Super User privileges to Custom Users?
# vim /etc /sudoers -> it will change settings in sudoers file to use SUDO
command
root ALL = (ALL) ALL -> Existing output line in the file
user1 ALL = (ALL) ALL -> New line added to the file for

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permission to user1

[user1@localhost ~]$ sudo passwd user6

-> now user1 can change the password for any user without root user
permissions

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