Module 4
Users and Groups
Table of Content
In this section, we will learn:
❑ Linux Users
❑ Linux Groups
❑ File Permissions
Linux Users
Linux Users
Every user is assigned a unique User ID number (UID).
• Root users are identified by a UID of 0.
• Normal users typically have User IDs (UIDs) greater
than 500.
Users' names and User ID numbers (UIDs) are stored in
the /etc/passwd file.
Users are assigned a home directory and a program that
runs when they log in, usually a shell.
Users cannot read, write, or execute each other's files
without permission.
Linux Users
User Management
$ useradd USERNAME: adds users to the system.
$ usermod USERNAME: modify user’s attributes.
$ userdel [-r] USERNAME: deletes users.
Authentication information is stored in plain text files, such as:
/etc/passwd
/etc/shadow
/etc/group
/etc/gshadow
Linux Users
Linux Groups
• Users are assigned to groups.
• Each group is assigned a unique Group ID number (GID).
• GIDs are stored in the /etc/group file.
• Each user is given their own secondary/primary group.
• Users can be added to other groups for additional
access.
• All users in a group can share files to which that group
has access.
Linux Users
Changing File Ownership
• Only the root user can change a file's owner.
• Only the root user or the owner can change a file's group.
• Ownership is changed with “chown”:
• chown [-R] user_name file|directory
• Group ownership is changed with “chgrp”:
• chgrp [-R] group_name file|directory
Linux Users
Adding Users to a Group
Overriding Secondary Groups:
$ usermod -G GROUP USERNAME
Adding a User to a Group
$ usermod -aG GROUP USERNAME
Viewing User’s Infomation:
$ id yahia
Linux Users
Changing Identities
Changing User Password:
$ passwd
# passwd USERNAME
Switching to Another User:
$ su [-] USERNAME
The `sudo` command runs a command as root. However, it
requires prior configuration by a root or system
administrator.
Linux Users
Linux File Security
Every file is owned by a UID and a GID.
Every process runs as a UID and one or more GIDs,
usually determined by who runs the process.
There are three access categories:
• processes running with the same uid as the file
(user),
• processes running with the same gid as the file
(group),
• and all other processes (other).
Linux Users
Linux File Security
Permission Precedence
• If UID matches, user permissions apply.
• Otherwise, if GID matches, group permissions apply.
• If neither match, other permissions apply.
Permission Types
Four symbols are used when displaying permissions:
• r: permission to read a file or list a directory's contents.
• w: permission to write to a file or create and remove files from a
directory.
• x: permission to execute a program or change into a directory and do a
long listing of the directory.
• -: no permission (in place of the r, w, or x).
Linux Users
Changing Permissions
Symbolic Method Numeric Method
To change access modes, we use: Uses a three-digit mode number:
chmod [-R] mode file • The first digit specifies the owner's
permissions.
• The second digit specifies group
Where mode is: permissions.
• u, g, or o for user, group, and other. • The third digit represents others'
• + or - for grant or deny. permissions.
• r, w, or x for read, write, and execute.
Permissions are calculated by adding:
Examples: • 4 for read,
❍ $ chmod ugo+r myflile.txt • 2 for write,
❍ $ chmod o-wx myfile.txt
• and 1 for execute.
Example:
$ chmod 640 myfile
