User Privileges

Debian KDE

User Privileges

User privileges determine what each user is able to do when using the computer. For example, in some situations users may be able to connect to the internet and configure printers. In other situations, these things are done by the system administrator, and ordinary users do not have those privileges.

Find Out User Privileges

To see what privileges each user has, open the file /etc/group. In this file you will see a list of groups. Each user's name will appear following certain groups. Users privileges are determined by which groups they belong to.

Examples of Groups

Following are examples of groups, and the priveleges users have when belonging to those groups.

adm	Monitor system logs
audio	Use audio devices
cdrom	Use CD-ROM drives
dialout	Use modems
dip	Connect to the Internet using a modem
fax	Send and receive faxes
lpadmin	Configure printers
netdev	Connect to wireless and ethernet networks
plugdev	Access external storage devices automatically
scanner	Use scanners
video	Capture video from TV or Webcams, and use 3d acceleration

Add User to Group

To add a user to a group, open the Root Terminal, and type:

gpasswd -a (user) (group)

Enter the user's name and group as appropriate.

Remove User from Group

To remove a user from a group, open the Root Terminal, and type:

gpasswd -d (user) (group)

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