Ubuntu

Running Administrative software in non-sudo accounts

Asked by Ben

I am logged in as a normal user. I can launch 'users and groups' whereupon I find an option to UNLOCK - I can select the USER to be my own account, which has privilege, and use my password to unlock it.

When I launch Synaptic, this is not available. I can only use the account password, which has no privilege - I cannot install through GUI.

I have to open terminator, type 'su ben' and then 'sudo synaptic' in order to achieve this.

Why is the GUI inconsistent? or am I missing something? Quite often, my wife is logged in and (today) mentions that something is missing, and I cannot easily add it through GUI.

Is this a 'bug' or an intentional policy?

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Steven Danna
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midnightflash (midnightflash) said : 		#1

This behavior should be right and is pointed on security.

What are you able to do inside 'users and groups'? Are you able to change things for other users in there, or are you only able to change things for the account you are logged in?

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Ben (ben2talk) said : 		#2

In 'users and groups' I can log in as 'ben', though I am using 'mind' desktop with no privilege.

as 'ben' I can create, delete, and grant any level of privilege to any part of my system - I have total root power. I can administer sabayon-admin, add users with administritive privileges and manage their passwords (I could delete everybody and take full possession of the system and any files therein).

This behaviour, I believe, is right. This behaviour should also apply to Synaptic - an administrator can access and run the software and make changes without needing to work around it in terminal or switch to an administrative account.

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Best Steven Danna (ssd7) said : 		#3

You are correct, the GUI does seem to be inconsistent between Synaptic
and other administrative applications that use the "Unlock" button.
It seems that there is already a confirmed wishlish bug about this
here:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/synaptic/+bug/80753

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Ben (ben2talk) said : 		#4

Thank you for your attention - solved my problem ;)