# suauth

## NAME



           suauth - detailed su control file
    


## SYNOPSIS



    
           **/etc/suauth**
    


## DESCRIPTION



           The file /etc/suauth is referenced whenever the su command is
           called. It can change the behaviour of the su command, based upon:
    
                     1) the user su is targeting
    
           2) the user executing the su command (or any groups he might be a
           member of)
    
           The file is formatted like this, with lines starting with a #
           being treated as comment lines and ignored;
    
                     to-id:from-id:ACTION
    
           Where to-id is either the word _ALL_ , a list of usernames delimited
           by "," or the words _ALL EXCEPT_ followed by a list of usernames
           delimited by ",".
    
           from-id is formatted the same as to-id except the extra word _GROUP_
           is recognized.  _ALL EXCEPT GROUP_ is perfectly valid too. Following
           _GROUP_ appears one or more group names, delimited by ",". It is not
           sufficient to have primary group id of the relevant group, an
           entry in **/etc/group**(5) is necessary.
    
           Action can be one only of the following currently supported
           options.
    
           _DENY_
               The attempt to su is stopped before a password is even asked
               for.
    
           _NOPASS_
               The attempt to su is automatically successful; no password is
               asked for.
    
           _OWNPASS_
               For the su command to be successful, the user must enter his
               or her own password. They are told this.
    
           Note there are three separate fields delimited by a colon. No
           whitespace must surround this colon. Also note that the file is
           examined sequentially line by line, and the first applicable rule
           is used without examining the file further. This makes it possible
           for a system administrator to exercise as fine control as he or
           she wishes.
    


## EXAMPLE



                     # sample /etc/suauth file
                     #
                     # A couple of privileged usernames may
                     # su to root with their own password.
                     #
                     root:chris,birddog:OWNPASS
                     #
                     # Anyone else may not su to root unless in
                     # group wheel. This is how BSD does things.
                     #
                     root:ALL EXCEPT GROUP wheel:DENY
                     #
                     # Perhaps terry and birddog are accounts
                     # owned by the same person.
                     # Access can be arranged between them
                     # with no password.
                     #
                     terry:birddog:NOPASS
                     birddog:terry:NOPASS
                     #
    


## FILES



           /etc/suauth
    


## BUGS



           There could be plenty lurking. The file parser is particularly
           unforgiving about syntax errors, expecting no spurious whitespace
           (apart from beginning and end of lines), and a specific token
           delimiting different things.
    


## DIAGNOSTICS



           An error parsing the file is reported using **syslogd**(8) as level
           ERR on facility AUTH.
    


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