[SOLVED] Removing unnecessary users from /etc/passwd file

[digvijay.gahlot]

Hi,
I have to remove unnecessary users from /etc/passwd file. I have done with almost all, checking for whether any of my application or system will have any troubles after removing any of them.

I am left with the following users. I need to find out what function does these accounts accomplish & whether their deletion will cause any problems.

man:*:16:20:man:/var/cache/man:/bin/false
proxy:*:19:21roxy:/bin:/bin/false
telnetd:*:20:22roxy:/bin:/bin/false
backup:*:34:34:backup:/var/backups:/bin/false


Thanks in advance.

Digvijay

[Hal343]

System files. Don't delete.

[i92guboj]

Hi, I have to remove unnecessary users from /etc/passwd file.

"I have" as in "I must" or as in "I feel paranoid"?

Users are there for a reason, usually. The first thing you should do if to use "find" to find files owned by these users, instead of blindly removing users and the checking if your applications work (I have no idea how would you do that with every single program and script in your system...).

I have done with almost all, checking for whether any of my application or system will have any troubles after removing any of them.

I wonder how can you guarantee that. Unless you have a very valid reason, like an intrusion of any kind, I fail to see what exactly do you expect to gain from this "cleaning".

[digvijay.gahlot]

Friends,

If any1 knows the purpose of these users kindly let me know.

Dont pass comments.

[Hal343]

They are processes started when your computer boots up. I don't know if your computer will run without them.

[saivin]

Its not passing comments. Its warning you against doing something which is not suggested (they are defaults created when the system is installed, right? ). Also, it does not seem to yield anything. Hope the system is not for production use, just a place for you to tinker and learn and you dont mind breaking the system.

'Answer me if you know or just f***off' mentality is bad. You will loose many (potential) good friends.

Anyway, I think 'telnetd' may be removed, if you dont use the telnet function and 'proxy', if you don't use any proxy to connect to internet. Again, it is better to confirm what files they own.

[digvijay.gahlot]

Hal343

Thanks for the effort,

Yes I know all about that.

Linux has a list of system users which have specific purpose to solve. I am keeping all of them in the /etc/passwd file.

They are made in order to distribute priviledges.

For Example:-

bin

The bin user account typically owns the executable files for most user commands. This account's primary purpose is to help distribute the ownership of important system directories and files so that everything is not owned solely by the root and sys user accounts.

daemon

The daemon user account exists only to own and run system server processes and their associated files. This account guarantees that such processes run with the appropriate file access permissions.

nobody

The nobody user account is used by the Network File System (NFS) to enable remote printing. This account exists so that a program can permit temporary root access to root users. For example, before enabling Secure RPC or Secure NFS, check the /etc/public key on the master NIS server to find a user who has not been assigned a public key and a secret key. As root user, you can create an entry in the database for each unassigned user by entering:
newkey -u username
Or, you can create an entry in the database for the nobody user account, and then any user can run the chkey program to create their own entries in the database without logging in as root.


I was unable to find purpose of (man, proxy, telnetd, backup).


Thanks for your efforts, it will be nice if any1 posts necessity of the users I mentioned.

Regards
Digvijay

saivin
Gentleman pls reread twice u r posting this is a prestigious LINUX forum.

[jayd512]

I have to throw my hat in with the others here.
If you feel that you need to remove any of the default system user, against some very good advice, then I wish you luck. As far as the function of these users, plenty of good documentation is to be found on <Linux> - Google Search

saivin
Gentleman pls reread twice u r posting this is a prestigious LINUX forum.

saivin is, I'm sure, well aware of the Rules here. As far as not "passing comments", are you simply looking for a yes or no answer to your queries?
If so, this is NOT the Forum to get them. We would prefer to give information and advice to just a plain answer.

*EDIT*

Just for the sake of clarification, the remark about knowing the Rules was meant to inply that we are aware of what type of Forum this is.