Chapter 14. Administrative Tasks

Table of Contents

Giving administrative access to a user
Using sudo at the command line

For security reasons, administrative tasks in Xubuntu can only be performed by users with special administrative privileges. The first user account created during installation will, by default, be able to perform administrative tasks.

When you run an application that requires administrative privileges, you will be asked to enter your user password. This helps to protect your system from malicious files and accidentally selecting options which may change the way your system works.

Each time you type your password, the system remembers it for 15 minutes so that you do not have to type it again.

Giving administrative access to a user

You can restrict and enable administrative access (sudo) to users with the Users and Groups application:

  1. Click ApplicationsSystemUsers and Groups

  2. Click Unlock and enter your password

  3. Select the user who is to be given administrative access and press Properties

  4. Select the User Privileges tab

  5. Check the box next to Administer the system and press OK