SSH: Deactivate root account and use a "non-root" one?

I would proceed in this way:

1. Open a ssh session with the root account

2. Give user User1 the rights to open an ssh session
- edit the file /etc/passwd.
- the first row should start with root:... and end with :/bin/bash. Leave as it is for the moment
- look at the row starting with an account you have created with frontview (e.g. User1). The row should end with :/bin/false. Replace /false by /bash and save the file. The account user1 has now the permission to open a ssh session.

3. Give user User1 the rights to execute the command "sudo"
- adduser user1 sudo (this will make user1 member of the group sudo)
- edit the file /etc/sudoers and add the line:
%sudo ALL= NOPASSWD : ALL
- safe the file. User1 has now the rights to launch the command "sudo" from the ssh session

4. Test the ssh connection opened by User1.
- open a new ssh session with User1 and User1 password. You should get the $ prompt.

5. Test sudo
- in the session opened by User1 type the command
sudo bash
- You should get the prompt #. You are now logged as root. That is what you wanted to achieve!

6. Remove root's permission to open an ssh session.
- edit the /etc/passwd file and replace /bash by /false at the end of the row starting with root:. Save the file. Root should no longer have the ability to open a ssh session.

That is it !
Make sure to made backup copies of your /etc/passwd and /etc/sudoers files before doing all this. Just in case ...



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