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Linux find files that requires sudo or root access

Root access on a Linux operating system is needed, if you need to maintain the server or if something goes wrong and requires some changes that only root account is able to do.

However, sudo can be used to give certain access to files that can be managed by specific users.

For example, for whatever reason the system requires changing the DNS server IP address. Then sudo can be used to grant editing privileges to /etc/resolv.conf

If just curious what are the files that require sudo or root access, on a Linux VM or server. Find command be used to locate or identify files that requires root privileges.

On Linux VM, by typing: sudo id root
This will show the output below:
uid=0(root) gid=0(root) groups=0(root)

The output shows that the user id for root is 0, and it's the same with group id and any other groups.
Technically, 0 (zero) is the id for any files on the Linux system that is owned by root or requires root to modify or make some changes.

For example, by typing: cd /etc and executing vi nanorc
A window will open with the nanorc configuration, and at the bottom it will show "nanorc" [readonly] if the file was opened via vi without root or sudo access.

sudo practice is good in a production environment, so making undesired changes can be avoided. But always running sudo when everything is in a hurry can also be annoying.

To get the files that requires root or sudo access can be done by using the "find" command.

Example, cd /etc and once inside the /etc directory type:
find . -user 0 -group 0

The command will show all files that requires root or sudo access to make a successful change.

The command will list all files that require root or sudo access for successful modification. It can also be useful for identifying unwanted or potentially malicious files on the system; files that necessitate root or sudo access but are not expected to be present, or owned by root warrant further investigation.








When everything seems too hard to understand, rely not on your own understanding but have faith and trust in God's plan. For His plan and His will is better than any human understanding.
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