root password for Raspbian

[rfmorse]

In attempting to install HP printer support, I'm asked for the root access password. What is it for a default Raspbian install?

[W. H. Heydt]

Default for Raspbian is that root has no password. You use the 'pi' account instead gaining root privileges with 'sudo'. That said, you can give root a password fairly easily.

[klricks]

You can set the root password but should not be necessary.

Code: Select all

sudo passwd root

[gkaiseril]

The RPF deliberately made the decision to not assign a password to the root user for security reasons. It is well known that access to the root user provides full access to everything and section of the OS. By not assigning a password to the root user means any attacker or hacker to the system needs to find a valid user name and then attack the password for that user. This makes hacking the PI much harder. The hacker also needs to use a user name that has super user rights, another wall to breach. One can run a number of commands as the super user by use the sudo command to become the root user. Check the manual on the sudo command:

man sudo

If you assign a password to the root user you should then remove the password, but this is not task for a noob.

[mikeyw64]

really root is set to have no password even though it is an account that in theory can login ?

So glad I changed mine from force of habit when I set Raspbian up for the first time!!


pi@Heimdall:~ $ sudo cat /etc/passwd | grep root
root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash

[trejan]

really root is set to have no password even though it is an account that in theory can login ?

No. The default is that it forbids all login attempts. It isn't a blank password which would let anybody log in without a password. Once you've manually set a password then you can log into the root account.

[mikeyw64]

really root is set to have no password even though it is an account that in theory can login ?

No. The default is that it forbids all login attempts. It isn't a blank password which would let anybody log in without a password. Once you've manually set a password then you can log into the root account.

maybe the earlier answer that "The RPF deliberately made the decision to not assign a password to the root user" could have been better phrased then

eg

"The RPF deliberately made the decision not to allow login from the root user by disabling login via /etc/shadow"

;o)

[Heater]

You don't need a root password.

Just long in as Pi or whatever other user you have set up, then:

Code: Select all

$ sudo su
root@pi3-buster-1:/home/pi# whoami
root
root@pi3-buster-1:/home/pi#

Bingo! You are logged in as root.

Mostly for one off commands using "sudo" for the command in the TUI is sufficient.