Mastering Linux Administration - Second Edition

4

Managing Users and Groups

Linux is a multiuser, multitasking operating system, which means multiple users can access the operating system at the same time while sharing platform resources, with the kernel performing tasks for each user concurrently and independently. Linux provides the required isolation and security mechanisms to avoid multiple users accessing or deleting each other’s files.

When multiple users are accessing the system, permissions come into play. We’ll learn how permissions work in Linux, with their essential read, write, and execution tenets. We’ll introduce you to the concept of a superuser (root) account, with complete access to the operating system resources.

Along the way, we’ll take a hands-on approach to the topics ...