Disable password change - ubuntu

Jonyboy

Jonyboy

New Member
Hi all,

I was just wondering, how can i disable a user from changing there password, so that only the root can change it.

Also, how can i remove the system menu from the "start bar".

And is it possible to stop them from editing anything under the system tab?

Thanks.
 
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I am not sure exactly how to do this in the OS itself, you could perhaps look into creating an OD master though and have your user's authenticate over the network and use like a LDAP tool to assign rights to the users.
 
It's not over a network btw.

I did just manage to disable the users from being able to open users and groups in the GUI, which is basically good enough. (i don't have to worry about them using the command line.

I still need to work out the awnser to the final two questions.

And also, what file are the passwords stored in, (so i can make it so only root has write permissions).

Thanks.
 
Jonyboy said:
It's not over a network btw.

I did just manage to disable the users from being able to open users and groups in the GUI, which is basically good enough. (i don't have to worry about them using the command line.

I still need to work out the awnser to the final two questions.

And also, what file are the passwords stored in, (so i can make it so only root has write permissions).

Thanks.
Click to expand...

passwords are sometimes stored in /etc and already owned by root. What exactly are you trying to accomplish and maybe I can better point you in the right direction.
 
What i intend to do is give my computer to my scout group where i help.

I would probably have the accounts

Beavers
Cubs
Scouts 1
Scouts 2
Leader (admin)

all on this one machine.

I want to disable admin features on the accounts cubs, scouts 1 and scouts 2.

I would have numerous people using one account and i don't want a bunch of 9 year olds changing the passwords for "fun". (noting that i wont be there all the time).

I also wouldn't prefer them to change the themes and system languages as a joke either (and other things). Hope this helps.

I'm able to stop them from messing around with the other accounts, so thats done.

I can remove preferences and administration from the system tab, but i want to remove the entire tab to make it look neater and just in case some of the scouts add the tabs back i want to disable access to those programs anyway.

This is mainly so i don't get a phone call from one of the leaders at 6 in the evening and have to go down to my scout hut and fix it.
 
ah okay gotcha.

Well, there are several ways to do this, but you should know that the only thing a non root/admin user can do is botch up their home directory. I will have to launch my debian virtual machine and check it out but won't be able to tinker with it until later. I am doing massive software deployment, and reimaging today so I am out and about.

I will try this later after work.
 
after giving it some thought and talking with co-worker of mine, he suggested just use a live CD. Which is actually a brilliant idea. Then the OS is already locked down because it is a live CD, and on you would have access to all the programs you would need, and every time you reboot it is reloaded into RAM disk, so no one could permanently change any configurations.

Otherwise you will have to edit a lot of binary and config files which would take a long time and probably be annoying. You would basically have to hunt down all the files in that user's home directory that give them access to certain level of things and then change ownership to admin, and make that user have read only so they could never overwrite the file. This of course could cause some issues.
 
well honestly simple users can not do anything but modify their home directory and run applications, and if you want to micro manage that you would have to go through their binary files of that user in their home directory and start changing file permissions.

Its possible but possibly not worth the hassle. Also, you can get Live distros that run off of USB drives that don't require tons of resources.
 
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