Log Files - difference between using sudo or not
You start by going into the logs with cd /var/log
Then you want to look at the kern.log
I did this firstly by using sudo less kern.log, then less kern.log
Both outputs were the same.
So what exactly is the difference between using sudo for the command, or leaving it without it?
command-line log
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
add a comment |
You start by going into the logs with cd /var/log
Then you want to look at the kern.log
I did this firstly by using sudo less kern.log, then less kern.log
Both outputs were the same.
So what exactly is the difference between using sudo for the command, or leaving it without it?
command-line log
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
add a comment |
You start by going into the logs with cd /var/log
Then you want to look at the kern.log
I did this firstly by using sudo less kern.log, then less kern.log
Both outputs were the same.
So what exactly is the difference between using sudo for the command, or leaving it without it?
command-line log
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
You start by going into the logs with cd /var/log
Then you want to look at the kern.log
I did this firstly by using sudo less kern.log, then less kern.log
Both outputs were the same.
So what exactly is the difference between using sudo for the command, or leaving it without it?
command-line log
command-line log
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
asked Jan 3 at 13:07
Felix RFelix R
113
113
add a comment |
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
The sudo lets you access whether it be to read (as in your case) or to write to folders and files irrespective of the ownership status or permission status of those folders or files.
In this case of the /var/log folder these files usually don't need you to be the root user to read from them hence log files are accessible for most users at least the read part. But we have certain processes that will produce log entries that only the system user (that created those log) or the root user can read from such files, examples include auth.log, mail.log, php7.2-fpm.log etc. These I have picked from my own /var/log folder.
Run the command ls -l /var/log to see those files and the permissions that are associated with them, including their ownerships. From there you can decern when you will need to use sudo and when you will not.
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
add a comment |
For succesful use of the less-command you will need read-permissions. Let's check the permissions of the file:
~$ ll /var/log/kern.log
-rw-r----- 1 syslog adm 1366232 Jan 3 19:50 /var/log/kern.log
The file is owned by the user syslog who has read and write permissions. The file is also associated with the group adm which has read permission. As you were able to read the file as a regular (non-root) user, you are obviously a member of the adm-group. You may check it with the groups-command.
~$ groups
mook adm cdrom sudo audio dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
add a comment |
sudo command allows you run commands with security privileges of another user, by default as the superuser or root user. you can not run the init command as normal user until you use sudo, like that there are lots of other administrative commands and operation where you must use sudo to perform those operations, there are lot of security reason why we are using sudo.
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
add a comment |
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3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
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active
oldest
votes
The sudo lets you access whether it be to read (as in your case) or to write to folders and files irrespective of the ownership status or permission status of those folders or files.
In this case of the /var/log folder these files usually don't need you to be the root user to read from them hence log files are accessible for most users at least the read part. But we have certain processes that will produce log entries that only the system user (that created those log) or the root user can read from such files, examples include auth.log, mail.log, php7.2-fpm.log etc. These I have picked from my own /var/log folder.
Run the command ls -l /var/log to see those files and the permissions that are associated with them, including their ownerships. From there you can decern when you will need to use sudo and when you will not.
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
add a comment |
The sudo lets you access whether it be to read (as in your case) or to write to folders and files irrespective of the ownership status or permission status of those folders or files.
In this case of the /var/log folder these files usually don't need you to be the root user to read from them hence log files are accessible for most users at least the read part. But we have certain processes that will produce log entries that only the system user (that created those log) or the root user can read from such files, examples include auth.log, mail.log, php7.2-fpm.log etc. These I have picked from my own /var/log folder.
Run the command ls -l /var/log to see those files and the permissions that are associated with them, including their ownerships. From there you can decern when you will need to use sudo and when you will not.
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
add a comment |
The sudo lets you access whether it be to read (as in your case) or to write to folders and files irrespective of the ownership status or permission status of those folders or files.
In this case of the /var/log folder these files usually don't need you to be the root user to read from them hence log files are accessible for most users at least the read part. But we have certain processes that will produce log entries that only the system user (that created those log) or the root user can read from such files, examples include auth.log, mail.log, php7.2-fpm.log etc. These I have picked from my own /var/log folder.
Run the command ls -l /var/log to see those files and the permissions that are associated with them, including their ownerships. From there you can decern when you will need to use sudo and when you will not.
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
The sudo lets you access whether it be to read (as in your case) or to write to folders and files irrespective of the ownership status or permission status of those folders or files.
In this case of the /var/log folder these files usually don't need you to be the root user to read from them hence log files are accessible for most users at least the read part. But we have certain processes that will produce log entries that only the system user (that created those log) or the root user can read from such files, examples include auth.log, mail.log, php7.2-fpm.log etc. These I have picked from my own /var/log folder.
Run the command ls -l /var/log to see those files and the permissions that are associated with them, including their ownerships. From there you can decern when you will need to use sudo and when you will not.
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
edited Jan 3 at 13:40
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
answered Jan 3 at 13:16
George UdosenGeorge Udosen
20.6k94467
20.6k94467
add a comment |
add a comment |
For succesful use of the less-command you will need read-permissions. Let's check the permissions of the file:
~$ ll /var/log/kern.log
-rw-r----- 1 syslog adm 1366232 Jan 3 19:50 /var/log/kern.log
The file is owned by the user syslog who has read and write permissions. The file is also associated with the group adm which has read permission. As you were able to read the file as a regular (non-root) user, you are obviously a member of the adm-group. You may check it with the groups-command.
~$ groups
mook adm cdrom sudo audio dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
add a comment |
For succesful use of the less-command you will need read-permissions. Let's check the permissions of the file:
~$ ll /var/log/kern.log
-rw-r----- 1 syslog adm 1366232 Jan 3 19:50 /var/log/kern.log
The file is owned by the user syslog who has read and write permissions. The file is also associated with the group adm which has read permission. As you were able to read the file as a regular (non-root) user, you are obviously a member of the adm-group. You may check it with the groups-command.
~$ groups
mook adm cdrom sudo audio dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
add a comment |
For succesful use of the less-command you will need read-permissions. Let's check the permissions of the file:
~$ ll /var/log/kern.log
-rw-r----- 1 syslog adm 1366232 Jan 3 19:50 /var/log/kern.log
The file is owned by the user syslog who has read and write permissions. The file is also associated with the group adm which has read permission. As you were able to read the file as a regular (non-root) user, you are obviously a member of the adm-group. You may check it with the groups-command.
~$ groups
mook adm cdrom sudo audio dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
For succesful use of the less-command you will need read-permissions. Let's check the permissions of the file:
~$ ll /var/log/kern.log
-rw-r----- 1 syslog adm 1366232 Jan 3 19:50 /var/log/kern.log
The file is owned by the user syslog who has read and write permissions. The file is also associated with the group adm which has read permission. As you were able to read the file as a regular (non-root) user, you are obviously a member of the adm-group. You may check it with the groups-command.
~$ groups
mook adm cdrom sudo audio dip plugdev lpadmin sambashare
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
answered Jan 3 at 13:27
mook765mook765
3,96421330
3,96421330
add a comment |
add a comment |
sudo command allows you run commands with security privileges of another user, by default as the superuser or root user. you can not run the init command as normal user until you use sudo, like that there are lots of other administrative commands and operation where you must use sudo to perform those operations, there are lot of security reason why we are using sudo.
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
add a comment |
sudo command allows you run commands with security privileges of another user, by default as the superuser or root user. you can not run the init command as normal user until you use sudo, like that there are lots of other administrative commands and operation where you must use sudo to perform those operations, there are lot of security reason why we are using sudo.
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
add a comment |
sudo command allows you run commands with security privileges of another user, by default as the superuser or root user. you can not run the init command as normal user until you use sudo, like that there are lots of other administrative commands and operation where you must use sudo to perform those operations, there are lot of security reason why we are using sudo.
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
sudo command allows you run commands with security privileges of another user, by default as the superuser or root user. you can not run the init command as normal user until you use sudo, like that there are lots of other administrative commands and operation where you must use sudo to perform those operations, there are lot of security reason why we are using sudo.
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
answered Jan 3 at 13:33
souravsourav
791313
791313
add a comment |
add a comment |
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