[NTLUG:Discuss] Dumb question

[Chris Cox]

Greg Edwards wrote:

...snip...

 
> No.
> 
> IIRC, in the past you had to register root as allowed to run X and
> graphic applications from the console.  Most applications you run from X
> that allow root access are su'd from the current user.  Running X as
> root is a special situation and requires root to be identified as a
> valid user.
> 
> I may be mixing this up with PAM or something else here.
> 
> What brings this up is while I was messing around with Mandrake 8.1 I
> ran into a situation where logging in as root through kdm presented a
> warning about using X as root.  I think the last time I saw any X and
> root login issues/messages was about RH 5.x or so.
> 
> 


The X Window System is an insecure protocol since packets can be
inserted and manipulated to an existing X client... a root xterminal
for instance (!).  If all clients are strictly local (no tcp/ip
clients on the wire), then it's probably ok... but I still think
a warning is reasonable if running X as root.