Root User

[fsociety3765]

Hi all,

I am new to the forum and Proxmox and looking for some advice.

In general, what are people doing with the root user on the system? Generally, I would always create a new sudo user and then disable root login but I have read on a couple of Reddit forums that this can cause problems.

Any advice on best practices for the root user would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

FS

 

[apoc]

I am doing exactly that, however I only have a single server for my home IT infrastructure. I have not experienced any issues yet...

 

[fsociety3765]

I read something about problems logging onto containers.

I don't plan on running any containers directly on Proxmox but it made me wonder if there might be other problems it causes me down the line.

 

[apoc]

I only use VMs as containers have not provided the level of separation I was looking for.
So that would match your research.

 

[fsociety3765]

OK, so I have installed sudo, created myself a new user account, and added that to the sudoers group. I did this on the command line and I assumed this would be enough to get access to the web interface but alas, it did not.

I have added my new user account to the users list in the web UI, using the same details I entered in the command line. I then gave myself Administrator permissions. I can log into the web UI fine with the new account.

Is there a definitive test I can do to verify that my new account has root access/privileges before I disable root login? I have checked on the command line that the new account can run the zpool status command using sudo, which works. Just wondering if there is a more definitive check.

 

[apoc]

I dont think so.
As long as sudo works you can re-enable root right?
Perhaps it is a good idea to create an image-level backup of your installation before you finally disable root.

 

[Dunuin]

I've read a post some days ago where someone wanted to change the features of a LXC but the options were grayed out in GUI because a user with admin rights was used. Logging in with root fixed that problem.

 

[leesteken]

The Proxmox web GUI does not automatically log you into a shell and some options of VMs and CTs cannot be changed (in the web GUI) unless you login (to the web GUI) with root. Of course these changes can be made on the command line using sudo. However, I think you need to have the root account enabled in order to login to the web GUI. You do not need to allow root login with SSH, because you can use sudo on the command line (after installing sudo).

 

[fsociety3765]

Thanks.

Sounds like it's best to leave the root user enabled in the web UI then. I have it disabled currently and I can still log in with my new admin user account.

Are people generally just using the root account then?

Maybe I should just always use the root account for the web UI so I don't lose any web UI functionality, but have it disabled for SSH and use my new sudo account for SSH? Enable TFA for root login on the web UI too.