f20 - gedit

[Robert Moskowitz]

On 12/20/2013 10:23 AM, Patrick O'Callaghan wrote:
>
> On Fri, Dec 20, 2013 at 3:14 PM, Robert Moskowitz <rgm at htt-consult.com 
> <mailto:rgm at htt-consult.com>> wrote:
>
>     On 12/20/2013 10:03 AM, Patrick O'Callaghan wrote:
>>
>>     On Fri, Dec 20, 2013 at 11:38 AM, Robert Moskowitz
>>     <rgm at htt-consult.com <mailto:rgm at htt-consult.com>> wrote:
>>
>>         You mean like lowering inittab to 3, logging in as root, then
>>         running startx so you can get the full root gui experience?
>>
>>
>>
>>     No, I mean logging into the desktop as root rather than as a
>>     normal user. This is generally frowned on.
>
>     Isn't this pretty much the same?  Once you lower inittab to 3,
>     there is no problem logging in as root.  startx then gives you
>     your root gui.
>
>     What am I missing.
>
>
> You seem to have got hold of the wrong end of the stick. I'm not 
> trying to explain how to get root in a desktop. I'm just saying that 
> this is often cited as a bad idea. The argument is that you should get 
> root for a specific task (such as editing a system file) and then give 
> it up at once. Running the desktop as root means you're going to be 
> doing all sorts of things that don't actually need root, thus 
> increasing the security threat. It's an aspect of the Principle of 
> Least Privilege. Added to that, the X system itself has in the past 
> had a number of vulnerabilities which would make running the desktop 
> under root more dangerous.

Got it now.  We are both on the same side of the page.  Just got there 
from different directions.


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