Knowledge

su (Unix)

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authenticates users against their own password rather than that of the target user (to allow the delegation of specific commands to specific users on specific hosts without sharing passwords among them and while mitigating the risk of any unattended terminals).
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When run from the command line, su asks for the target user's password, and if authenticated, grants the operator access to that account and the files and directories that account is permitted to access.
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is related, and executes a command as another user but observes a set of constraints about which users can execute which commands as which other users (generally in a configuration file named
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argues that because the group would prevent users from utilizing root passwords leaked to them, the group would allow existing admins to ride roughshod over ordinary users.
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UNIX Administration: A Comprehensive Sourcebook for Effective Systems and Network Management
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A Research Unix reader: offticles annotated excerpts from the Programmer's Manual, 1971–1986
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without changing the current working directory or the user environment.
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su -- become privileged user... su allows one to become the super-user.
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as of release 8.18 (2012-08-12) and is currently included in the
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When the command is used without specifying the new user id as a
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su - run a command with substitute user and group ID
1431:Unix user management and support-related utilities 680: – by The Linux Information Project (LINFO) ( 1422: 583:"Why GNU su does not support the 'wheel' group" 460:"Unix Programmer's Manual - Table of Contents" 337:Comparison of privilege authorization features 1405: 707: 298:, and only allow members to become root with 1412: 1398: 1346: 714: 700: 512:"Native Win32 ports of some GNU utilities" 25: 671:System Administration Commands Reference 500:(Technical report). CSTR. Bell Labs. 139. 487: 350:"From Novice to Master, and Back Again" 1423: 309:, however, does not support the group 695: 481: 472:from the original on March 17, 2022. 443:from the original on March 17, 2022. 1364: 548: 542: 417:su - substitute user id temporarily 414:from the original on Jan 20, 2022. 187:of common GNU Unix-like utilities. 141:account (user id 0) of the system. 13: 589:from the original on June 21, 2021 342: 165:. Encrypted passwords appeared in 14: 1452: 605: 292:systems implement the user group 1368: 1345: 1324: 1323: 436:. November 3, 1971. p. 17. 407:. January 1, 1979. p. 174. 270:, best editable by the command 575: 522: 504: 452: 423: 394: 375: 1: 368: 1384:. You can help Knowledge by 223:jane@localhost:/home/john$ 7: 383:"su(1) - Linux manual page" 320: 313:for philosophical reasons. 137:, it defaults to using the 10: 1457: 1363: 614: – manual pages from 431:"Unix Programmer's Manual" 144: 63:AT&T Bell Laboratories 1319: 1273: 1225: 1209: 1188: 1145: 984: 928: 877: 736: 194:command was removed from 161:system call, was part of 102: 86: 68: 56: 33: 24: 516:unxutils.sourceforge.net 247: 213: 205: 684:20 October 2021 at the 1380:-related article is a 1339:Unix SUS2008 utilities 1334:Standard Unix programs 726:command-line interface 557:. CRC Press. pp.  549:Levi, Bozidar (2002). 74:; 52 years ago 1436:System administration 475:su: become super-user 332:List of Unix commands 135:command line argument 72:November 3, 1971 16:Standard UNIX utility 1227:Software development 538:. 17 September 2022. 465:. November 3, 1971. 250:john@localhost:~$ 216:john@localhost:~$ 21: 257:jane@localhost:~$ 232:john@localhost:~$ 35:Original author(s) 19: 1393: 1392: 1361: 1360: 654:General Commands 385:. April 2, 2021. 237:When used with a 171:Microsoft Windows 114: 113: 1448: 1414: 1407: 1400: 1372: 1365: 1349: 1348: 1327: 1326: 929:User environment 716: 709: 702: 693: 692: 666: 665: 649: 648: 631: 630: 599: 598: 596: 594: 579: 573: 572: 556: 546: 540: 539: 526: 520: 519: 508: 502: 501: 499: 485: 479: 478: 476: 471: 464: 456: 450: 449: 447: 442: 435: 427: 421: 420: 418: 413: 406: 398: 392: 391: 389: 379: 364: 362: 361: 315:Richard Stallman 308: 301: 283: 279: 275: 269: 258: 255: 251: 244: 233: 230: 227: 224: 221: 217: 193: 155:Unix permissions 153:, including the 152: 124: 88:Operating system 82: 80: 75: 29: 22: 18: 1456: 1455: 1451: 1450: 1449: 1447: 1446: 1445: 1421: 1420: 1419: 1418: 1362: 1357: 1315: 1269: 1221: 1205: 1184: 1141: 985:Text processing 980: 924: 873: 732: 720: 686:Wayback Machine 661: 660: 644: 643: 626: 625: 608: 603: 602: 592: 590: 581: 580: 576: 569: 547: 543: 528: 527: 523: 510: 509: 505: 497: 486: 482: 474: 469: 462: 458: 457: 453: 445: 440: 433: 429: 428: 424: 416: 411: 404: 400: 399: 395: 387: 381: 380: 376: 371: 359: 357: 348: 345: 343:Further reading 323: 306: 299: 281: 277: 271: 267: 260: 259: 256: 253: 249: 242: 235: 234: 231: 228: 225: 222: 219: 215: 208: 191: 173:as part of the 157:system and the 150: 147: 122: 78: 76: 73: 69:Initial release 52: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1454: 1444: 1443: 1438: 1433: 1417: 1416: 1409: 1402: 1394: 1391: 1390: 1373: 1359: 1358: 1356: 1355: 1343: 1342: 1341: 1336: 1320: 1317: 1316: 1314: 1313: 1311:true and false 1308: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1288: 1283: 1277: 1275: 1271: 1270: 1268: 1267: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1231: 1229: 1223: 1222: 1220: 1219: 1213: 1211: 1207: 1206: 1204: 1203: 1198: 1192: 1190: 1186: 1185: 1183: 1182: 1177: 1172: 1167: 1162: 1157: 1151: 1149: 1147:Shell builtins 1143: 1142: 1140: 1139: 1134: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1109: 1104: 1099: 1094: 1089: 1084: 1079: 1074: 1069: 1064: 1059: 1054: 1049: 1044: 1039: 1034: 1029: 1024: 1019: 1014: 1009: 1004: 999: 994: 988: 986: 982: 981: 979: 978: 973: 968: 963: 958: 953: 948: 943: 938: 932: 930: 926: 925: 923: 922: 917: 912: 907: 902: 897: 892: 887: 881: 879: 875: 874: 872: 871: 866: 861: 856: 851: 846: 841: 836: 831: 826: 821: 816: 811: 806: 801: 796: 791: 786: 781: 776: 771: 766: 761: 756: 751: 746: 740: 738: 734: 733: 730:shell builtins 719: 718: 711: 704: 696: 690: 689: 678:The su command 675: 658: 641: 636:User Commands 622: 607: 606:External links 604: 601: 600: 574: 567: 541: 521: 503: 489:McIlroy, M. D. 480: 451: 422: 393: 373: 372: 370: 367: 366: 365: 344: 341: 340: 339: 334: 329: 322: 319: 248: 214: 207: 204: 177:collection of 163:Version 1 Unix 146: 143: 112: 111: 106: 100: 99: 90: 84: 83: 70: 66: 65: 60: 54: 53: 51: 50: 45: 43:Dennis Ritchie 39: 37: 31: 30: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1453: 1442: 1439: 1437: 1434: 1432: 1429: 1428: 1426: 1415: 1410: 1408: 1403: 1401: 1396: 1395: 1389: 1387: 1383: 1379: 1374: 1371: 1367: 1366: 1354: 1353: 1344: 1340: 1337: 1335: 1332: 1331: 1330: 1322: 1321: 1318: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1278: 1276: 1274:Miscellaneous 1272: 1266: 1263: 1261: 1258: 1256: 1253: 1251: 1248: 1246: 1243: 1241: 1238: 1236: 1233: 1232: 1230: 1228: 1224: 1218: 1215: 1214: 1212: 1210:Documentation 1208: 1202: 1199: 1197: 1194: 1193: 1191: 1187: 1181: 1178: 1176: 1173: 1171: 1168: 1166: 1163: 1161: 1158: 1156: 1153: 1152: 1150: 1148: 1144: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1108: 1105: 1103: 1100: 1098: 1095: 1093: 1090: 1088: 1085: 1083: 1080: 1078: 1075: 1073: 1070: 1068: 1065: 1063: 1060: 1058: 1055: 1053: 1050: 1048: 1045: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1028: 1025: 1023: 1020: 1018: 1015: 1013: 1010: 1008: 1005: 1003: 1000: 998: 995: 993: 990: 989: 987: 983: 977: 974: 972: 969: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 947: 944: 942: 939: 937: 934: 933: 931: 927: 921: 918: 916: 913: 911: 908: 906: 903: 901: 898: 896: 893: 891: 888: 886: 883: 882: 880: 876: 870: 867: 865: 862: 860: 857: 855: 852: 850: 847: 845: 842: 840: 837: 835: 832: 830: 827: 825: 822: 820: 817: 815: 812: 810: 807: 805: 802: 800: 797: 795: 792: 790: 787: 785: 782: 780: 777: 775: 772: 770: 767: 765: 762: 760: 757: 755: 752: 750: 747: 745: 742: 741: 739: 735: 731: 728:programs and 727: 724: 717: 712: 710: 705: 703: 698: 697: 694: 687: 683: 679: 676: 674: 670: 667: –  664: 659: 657: 653: 650: –  647: 642: 640: 639: 635: 632: –  629: 623: 620: 617: 613: 610: 609: 588: 584: 578: 570: 568:0-8493-1351-1 564: 560: 555: 554: 545: 537: 536: 531: 525: 517: 513: 507: 496: 495: 490: 484: 477: 468: 461: 455: 448: 439: 432: 426: 419: 410: 403: 397: 390: 384: 378: 374: 355: 354:D-Mac's Stuff 351: 347: 346: 338: 335: 333: 330: 328: 327:Unix security 325: 324: 318: 316: 312: 305: 297: 296: 291: 286: 274: 265: 246: 240: 212: 203: 201: 197: 196:GNU coreutils 188: 186: 183: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 160: 156: 142: 140: 136: 131: 129: 125: 119: 110: 107: 105: 101: 98: 94: 91: 89: 85: 71: 67: 64: 61: 59: 55: 49: 46: 44: 41: 40: 38: 36: 32: 28: 23: 1386:expanding it 1375: 1350: 1328: 669:Solaris 11.4 624: 591:. Retrieved 577: 552: 544: 533: 524: 515: 506: 493: 483: 473: 454: 444: 425: 415: 396: 386: 377: 358:. Retrieved 356:. 2013-01-14 353: 310: 293: 287: 268:/etc/sudoers 262:The command 261: 236: 209: 189: 149:The command 148: 132: 121: 115: 58:Developer(s) 48:Ken Thompson 737:File system 1441:Unix stubs 1425:Categories 1329:Categories 369:References 360:2022-08-10 276:). Unlike 200:util-linux 79:1971-11-03 1189:Searching 878:Processes 619:coreutils 290:Unix-like 254:Password: 220:Password: 202:package. 167:Version 3 139:superuser 97:Unix-like 997:basename 682:Archived 587:Archived 491:(1987). 467:Archived 438:Archived 409:Archived 321:See also 252:su-jane 175:UnxUtils 120:command 1102:strings 1022:dirname 946:logname 895:crontab 652:FreeBSD 593:May 30, 218:sujane 145:History 109:Command 77: ( 1082:printf 1007:csplit 749:chattr 673:Manual 656:Manual 638:Manual 565:  535:GitHub 530:"NEWS" 273:visudo 239:hyphen 229:logout 179:native 159:setuid 1376:This 1306:sleep 1260:strip 1240:ctags 1175:unset 1155:alias 1137:xargs 1117:troff 1077:patch 1072:paste 1047:iconv 976:write 966:uname 869:umask 859:touch 849:split 844:rmdir 819:mkdir 804:fuser 769:cksum 764:chgrp 759:chown 754:chmod 663:su(8) 646:su(1) 634:Linux 628:su(1) 498:(PDF) 470:(PDF) 463:(PDF) 441:(PDF) 434:(PDF) 412:(PDF) 405:(PDF) 311:wheel 295:wheel 288:Some 206:Usage 185:ports 182:Win32 128:shell 1382:stub 1378:Unix 1352:List 1291:expr 1265:yacc 1250:make 1201:grep 1196:find 1180:wait 1170:test 1165:echo 1122:uniq 1107:tail 1097:sort 1087:read 1062:more 1052:join 1042:head 1037:fold 1017:diff 1002:comm 961:tput 956:talk 951:mesg 941:exit 920:time 910:nice 905:kill 864:type 799:file 723:Unix 595:2022 563:ISBN 282:sudo 264:sudo 243:su - 226:exit 190:The 118:Unix 116:The 104:Type 95:and 93:Unix 1286:cal 1245:lex 1217:man 1092:sed 1012:cut 992:awk 971:who 936:env 854:tee 834:pwd 829:pax 774:cmp 744:cat 616:GNU 559:207 304:GNU 1427:: 1301:od 1296:lp 1281:bc 1255:nm 1235:ar 1160:cd 1132:wc 1127:vi 1112:tr 1067:nl 1057:m4 1032:ex 1027:ed 915:ps 900:fg 890:bg 885:at 839:rm 824:mv 814:ls 809:ln 794:df 789:du 784:dd 779:cp 612:su 585:. 561:. 532:. 514:. 352:. 307:su 300:su 280:, 278:su 192:su 151:su 123:su 20:su 1413:e 1406:t 1399:v 1388:. 715:e 708:t 701:v 688:) 621:. 597:. 571:. 518:. 363:. 241:( 81:)

Index


Original author(s)
Dennis Ritchie
Ken Thompson
Developer(s)
AT&T Bell Laboratories
Operating system
Unix
Unix-like
Type
Command
Unix
shell
command line argument
superuser
Unix permissions
setuid
Version 1 Unix
Version 3
Microsoft Windows
UnxUtils
native
Win32
ports
GNU coreutils
util-linux
hyphen
sudo
visudo
Unix-like

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