17.4. Configuring the root account and creating users

Procedure

1. From the Installation Summary window, select User Settings > Root Account. The Root Account window opens.

   By default, the Disable root account option is selected.

2. To enable root account, select the Enable root account option.

3. Type your password in the Root Password field.

   The root password is case-sensitive and must be at least eight characters long containing numbers, letters (upper and lower case) and symbols.

4. Type the same password in the Confirm field.
5. Optional: Select the Allow root SSH login with password option to enable SSH access (with password) to this system as the root user. By default the password-based SSH root access is disabled.

6. Click Done to confirm your root password and return to the Installation Summary window.

   If you proceed with a weak password, you must click Done twice.

Procedure

1. On the Installation Summary window, select User Settings > User Creation. The Create User window opens.
2. Type the user account name into the Full name field, for example: John Smith.

3. Type the username into the User name field, for example: jsmith.

   The User name is used to log in from a command line; if you install a graphical environment, then your graphical login manager uses the Full name.

4. The Add administrative privileges to this…​ option is selected by default. Deselect this option if you do not want to share administrative privileges to this account. By default, new users have administrative privileges to the system.

   An administrator user can use the sudo command to perform tasks that are only available to root by using the user password, instead of the root password. Though it is more convenient, it can also introduce a security risk.

5. The Require a password to use this account option is selected by default. Disable it if you want to use this account without a password.

   If you give administrator privileges to a user, ensure the account is password protected. Never give a user administrator privileges without assigning a password to the account.

6. Type a password into the Password field.
7. Type the same password into the Confirm password field.
8. Click Done to apply the changes and return to the Installation Summary window.

Procedure

1. On the Create User window, click Advanced.
2. Edit the details in the Home directory field, if required. The field is populated by default with /home/username .

3. In the User and Groups IDs section you can:

   1. Select the Specify a user ID manually check box and use + or - to enter the required value.

      The default value is 1000. User IDs (UIDs) 0-999 are reserved by the system so they cannot be assigned to a user.

   2. Select the Specify a group ID manually check box and use + or - to enter the required value.

      The default group name is the same as the user name, and the default Group ID (GID) is 1000. GIDs 0-999 are reserved by the system so they cannot be assigned to a user group.

4. Specify additional groups as a comma-separated list in the Group Membership field. Groups that do not already exist are created; you can specify custom GIDs for additional groups in parentheses. If you do not specify a custom GID for a new group, the new group receives a GID automatically.

   The user account created always has one default group membership (the user’s default group with an ID set in the Specify a group ID manually field).

5. Click Save Changes to apply the updates and return to the Create User window.