On Thu, Nov 30, 2000 at 08:52:42AM +0200, Johann Spies wrote: > I have seen this message two times now after using apt-get on a > dialup-system: > Nov 30 06:25:03 spyker su[6400]: + ??? root-nobody > Nov 30 06:25:03 spyker PAM_unix[6400]: (su) session opened for user > > Who is this "nobody"?
User nobody is a user used by many system programs. It is a convenient user id for system programs to be run at if they do not have to be root; also some programs begin as root, use root to get ahold of the resources they need, and then change their id to nobody. In both cases it is to minimize the damage that can be caused by a bug or security problem in the program. -- Harry Henry Gebel, ICQ# 76308382 West Dover Hundred, Delaware
