06-10-2016
Hi Herb,
I might be a bit old fashioned here, but it used to be part of the SA's job to ensure that no one other than the SA had access to the root account. It also used to be drummed into SA's that any application that had to be installed as root was basically flawed.
From a security perspective any such application was a likely candidate for an exploit, so should not be allowed. As to giving an external vendor root access, not going to happen on my watch - why?
A real example - I have had a black box system delivered from a major international telecommunications company, complete with two back door (UID 0:GID 1) accounts setup. Additionally in the applications directory there was a SUID file called xyzzy which turned out to be a copy of the /usr/bin/ksh binary.
I would trust no person outside the systems admin team, where the requirement was to have the root password - in some cases I wouldn't trust people in the team, but that was for a different reason.
Regards
Gull04
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LEARN ABOUT OSF1
dxaccounts
dxaccounts(8) System Manager's Manual dxaccounts(8)
NAME
dxaccounts - Graphical interface for account administration
SYNOPSIS
/usr/bin/X11/dxaccounts
DESCRIPTION
The Account Manager application, dxaccounts, helps you manage user accounts on your Tru64 UNIX system. It operates on both base security
level systems and enhanced security (C2) level systems.
The Account Manager application lets you manage both the local and Network Information Service (NIS) UNIX account databases. NIS is used in
order to centrally manage user accounts in a network environment. NIS lets participating systems share a common set of passwd and group
files. NIS uses a client-server model.
When the Advanced Server for Tru64 UNIX product is installed, the Account Manager application allows you to perform domain user account
management for PC users.
To start Account Manager from the CDE desktop:Choose the Application Manager from the CDE front panel. Choose the System_Admin group.
Choose the DailyAdmin group. Click on the Account Manager icon.
Online help is available for the dxaccounts application. To get help, click on any Help button or use the Help pull-down menu.
Account Manager replaces the XSysAdmin(8) and XIsso(8) applications.
RESTRICTIONS
You must have root privileges to modify system files with this application. If dxaccounts is run without root permission, you may view but
not modify account information.
In order to make changes to the NIS databases, you must run Account Manager on the machine designated as the NIS server.
FILES
Defaults that are shared by the graphical user and command-line interfaces System and account defaults (enhanced security only) Group
information for local groups Account information for local user accounts List of shells on the system Group information for NIS groups (on
an NIS master) Account information for NIS user accounts (on an NIS master) Protected password authentication database files (enhanced
security only) Protected password database (enhanced security only) Protected password database (enhanced security only) Account Manager
application Account Manager help volume Account Manager help volume for enhanced security Directory containing Account Manager application
icons Application defaults file that sets the default values for the X resources Account Manager message catalog Default directory for user
account initial files
SEE ALSO
Commands: auditmask(8), authck(8), groupadd(8), groupdel(8), groupmod(8), login(1), nis_intro(7), passwd(1), secsetup(8), useradd(8),
userdel(8), usermod(8), XIsso(8), XSysAdmin(8)
Functions: acceptable_password(3), getprpwent(3), getpwent(3)
Files: authcap(4), default(4), group(4), passwd(4)
Manuals: System Administration, Advanced Server for UNIX Installation and Administration, Advanced Server for UNIX Concepts and Plan-
ning</docbook>
dxaccounts(8)