Subject: Re: why no telnet for root?
To: Colin Wood <ender@is.rice.edu>
From: Johan Danielsson <joda@pdc.kth.se>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 08/21/1996 22:50:54
Colin Wood <ender@is.rice.edu> writes:

> This is not allowed as it is a security risk to let root log in from
> an unsecure terminal.

And the obvoius question is of course then: why is su-ing considered a
more secure way of logging in? In both situations you are passing the
root-password in the clear. (I assume that you aren't using Kerberos
or something similar).

When you su you leave a trace in the syslog, so for this reason I can
agree that it is better.

/Johan