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RE: Best explanation why NOT to run as administrator/root
Subject:RE: Best explanation why NOT to run as administrator/root From:"McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com> To:Tech Writers <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:48:50 -0400
It's a VM, intended for both of us. We are not the admin for the VM itself, but we are the admin for the Server OS that is running in it.
I just happened to be the point guy, getting it set up.
It's not an authority thing. The other writer is legitimately my backup in this VM. If either of us gets hit by a bus... yadda-yadda...
From: John Posada [mailto:jposada99 -at- gmail -dot- com]
Sent: April-30-13 2:01 PM
To: McLauchlan, Kevin
Cc: Tech Writers
Subject: Re: Best explanation why NOT to run as administrator/root
Kevin...the mistake you made was passing on a credential that was given TO YOU. Unless you ARE the admin, you really had no authority to do so. If the other writer needed it, he should have been given it by the authorized party like you were.
On Apr 30, 2013 12:18 PM, "McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com<mailto:Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>> wrote:
All,
Who can recommend the best and most persuasively presented summary of why one should NOT log in as Administrator (or root) for every-day, ongoing computer use? To me, it's been a given for as long as I've been using networked computers. To my cow-orker, apparently not-so-much.
We were given a VM in which to run our apps (like Flare, GIMP, Visio, various other tools, etc.).
The server owner installed Windows Server 2008 SP2, and handed me the location and the Administrator password.
I created a regular user account for myself, and one for the other local techwriter in our office.
I started using my user account.
I gave the other guy his credentials AND the Administrator PW, since we are each other's backup, and I expected some sense from him.
He soon began logging in as Administrator, as a matter of course.
I said "stop that".
He said "Why? I know better than to break things, and besides, I had a problem with my username account."
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