[TriLUG] Ubuntu - great security - you'll love this

[Aaron S. Joyner]

Matt Nash wrote:

> In the Ubuntu install, the root user is disabled by default.  Only 
> during an expert install would you specify a root password and enable 
> the account.  Presumably, expert grandmas would also keep up with 
> updates.
>
> Matt

Note that this is the first user created during the install, in a 
non-expert install.  That user is granted sudo privs, so having that 
user's password is just as bad as having root, presuming it hasn't been 
changed since install (which in the case of your average grandma, it 
most likely hasn't).  Note, I haven't researched this thoroughly nor 
have I ever installed Ubuntu, this is just what I gleaned from some 
security mailing list traffic I was reading earlier today.  Take with a 
grain of salt and do your own research if you're in the unfortunate 
position of running Ubuntu at the moment.

Aaron S. Joyner