To RedHat, Mandrake and other bloated distros user

[GnuVince]

xin: renaming the root account is not a good idea, because some programs instead of check your UID, they check the name of your user. So if 'root' is changed to 'mama', you could break compatibility with some programs.

[Ashcrow]

GnuVince is right. It's better to protect root via firewalling, IDS/Logchecking and a goods trong password (don't forget the !@#$'s).

[xin]

[quote author=GnuVince link=board=5;threadid=1218;start=0#39523 date=1025261846]
xin: renaming the root account is not a good idea, because some programs instead of check your UID, they check the name of your user. So if 'root' is changed to 'mama', you could break compatibility with some programs.
[/quote]

Ahh gotcha! So what about making a root like account with a weird name, and making root have a 10 letter, completly random password generated by one of those pwd gens that check for normal text strings and rejects that password etc... Gonna have to go to the library, see if they have a firewalling/security/programming book. That reminds me. Over in the comp section in the library I always see lotsa chicks studying there, Not normal in my part of the world, honest!

[capybara]

[quote author=pbharris link=board=5;threadid=1218;start=0#8677 date=1018814273]
hum - on my debian box it is running from inetd.d - i am thinking the x/inetd services are okay .. yes?
[/quote]
NO! inetd/xinetd is the masterdaemon which starts the others, but it doesnt make them less crackable! (imho)
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fwiw, go to man finger and read ~/.nofinger

[capybara]

[quote author=Ashcrow link=board=5;threadid=1218;start=0#39525 date=1025264826]
GnuVince is right. It's better to protect root via firewalling, IDS/Logchecking and a goods trong password (don't forget the !@#$'s).
[/quote]
thx GnuVince, I didnt know i could use those!