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Need your help on permission of /etc/shadow!

 
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Top Forums UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers Need your help on permission of /etc/shadow!
# 1  
Old 08-01-2011
Need your help on permission of /etc/shadow!
Dear all,

I need all of you to clarify about file permission and SUID, SGID as below:

Command:

Code:
$ ls -la /etc/passwd
-r--r--r-- 1 root root 1914 2011-04-15 11:22 /etc/passwd
# I've changed permission of this file

$ ls -la /etc/shadow
-r--r----- 1 root shadow 1397 2011-08-01 15:53 /etc/shadow
# I've changed permission of this file

$ ls -la /usr/bin/passwd 
-rwsr-xr-x 1 root root 37100 2011-02-15 05:12 /usr/bin/passwd.


When i change my account with command:
$ password myaccount
Enter newpass: Successful

I wonder why /etc/shadow (/etc/password) still is written although they are not set +w on root.

Please help me to explain accordingly!
Sorry for my English and Thank all of you much.

---------- Post updated at 04:38 PM ---------- Previous update was at 04:34 PM ----------

Dear all,

My Linux is Ubuntu 11.04 Desktop.

thanks,
Last edited by pludi; 08-01-2011 at 07:02 AM..
# 2  
Old 08-01-2011
Because /usr/bin/passwd is a SUID root executable.
# 3  
Old 08-01-2011
Thanks fpmurphy!

But i want to know that why /etc/password and /etc/shadow still updated (written) by password command.

As i said, i've set permission on /etc/password and /etc/shadow only with READ permission.

regards,
# 4  
Old 08-02-2011
The SUID (Set User ID) bit tells the kernel to run a program (not script) using the UID assigned to the file, in this case root. And root always has the permissions to change any file. Which is why SUID binaries should be used only very very rarely, and only if you know what that program is doing.
 
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