When I try to su to root, I get the following error:

% su -
Password:
su: Unknown id: root
%

However, I can log on just fine as root at the console, and if
I open up telnet to root directly.  What's breaking the su portion?

I checked the /etc/default/login, /etc/default/su and nsswitch.conf
files in comparison with working machines and they appear similar.

This is an Ultra 10 running Solaris 9 04/04.

Thanks!

Randy

On Wed, 21 Apr 2004 14:49:15 -0400, Randy wrote:

> When I try to su to root, I get the following error:
> 
> % su -
> Password:
> su: Unknown id: root
> %
> 
> However, I can log on just fine as root at the console, and if
> I open up telnet to root directly.  What's breaking the su portion?
> 
> I checked the /etc/default/login, /etc/default/su and nsswitch.conf
> files in comparison with working machines and they appear similar.
> 
> This is an Ultra 10 running Solaris 9 04/04.

Looks like the University of Delaware is wholly compromised by a stoopid
admin who not only did not shut down telnet but also enabled it for root.

> Thanks!

You're welcome.

Randy <randy@blah.com> writes:

>However, I can log on just fine as root at the console, and if
>I open up telnet to root directly.  What's breaking the su portion?

Is "su" set-uid root and /usr mounted without nosuid?

Casper
-- 
Expressed in this posting are my opinions.  They are in no way related
to opinions held by my employer, Sun Microsystems.
Statements on Sun products included here are not gospel and may
be fiction rather than truth.

Casper H.S. Dik wrote:
> Randy <randy@blah.com> writes:
> 
> 
>>However, I can log on just fine as root at the console, and if
>>I open up telnet to root directly.  What's breaking the su portion?
> 
> 
> Is "su" set-uid root and /usr mounted without nosuid?
> 
> Casper

/usr was mounted nosuid - correcting this fixed the problem.

Whew!  Now I can turn off telnet to root! :cough:

Thanks, Casper!

Randy wrote:

> Casper H.S. Dik wrote:
>> Randy <randy@blah.com> writes:
>> 
>> 
>>>However, I can log on just fine as root at the console, and if
>>>I open up telnet to root directly.  What's breaking the su portion?
>> 
>> 
>> Is "su" set-uid root and /usr mounted without nosuid?
>> 
>> Casper
> 
> /usr was mounted nosuid - correcting this fixed the problem.
> 
> Whew!  Now I can turn off telnet to root! :cough:
> 
And what, exactly, was wrong with *ssh* to root?  (not but what
that should be turned off by default too, but it's better than 
telnet...)
-- 
             Christopher Mattern

"Which one you figure tracked us?"
"The ugly one, sir."
"...Could you be more specific?"

Chris Mattern wrote:

>>
>>/usr was mounted nosuid - correcting this fixed the problem.
>>
>>Whew!  Now I can turn off telnet to root! :cough:
>>
> 
> And what, exactly, was wrong with *ssh* to root?  (not but what
> that should be turned off by default too, but it's better than 
> telnet...)

I agree.  I only turned on telnet to root long enough to troubleshoot 
the problem, hence the "if I open up telnet" phrase in my original post. 
  Maybe "if" should have been emphasized.  If that hadn't worked, then I 
probably would have tried ssh, etc.  I'm sure I didn't use the best 
security practices during the 30 seconds I did that to troubleshoot, and 
yes, that could be long enough to be compromised.  I understand the 
concerns, and appreciate the criticism where constructive.

Randy