How to Enable Root User on Ubuntu 24.04

Enable root

To enable the root user on Ubuntu 24.04, begin by switching to the root account with the `sudo -i` command. After switching, set a strong password for the root user. This strong password allows direct login as the root user when administrative tasks are necessary.

Run this `sudo` command.

sudo -s

Your password will be requested; enter it when prompted.

Next, run the command to set the root user’s password.

sudo passwd root

When prompted, enter and confirm a new password for the root account.

New password: 
Retype new password: 
passwd: password updated successfully

With the root user password set, the account is automatically enabled.

Run the following command and enter the root password to switch to the root user.

The root user prompt on Ubuntu 24.04 displays "root" at the beginning and "#" at the end. This visual cue confirms you are operating with the highest level of system privileges. This root status gives complete control over the entire Ubuntu 24.04 system.

root@Ubuntu:~# 

Restrict the su command

After enabling the root account on Ubuntu, it is good practice to restrict who can use the ‘su’ command to switch to other users, especially root. This limits access, helping to keep your system secure.

To do that, run the command to open the su config file.

nano /etc/pam.d/su

Uncomment the highlighted line in the file.

# Uncomment this to force users to be a member of group adm
# before they can use `su'.
 auth       required   pam_wheel.so group=adm

Exit and save.

To allow a user permission to use the `su` command on Ubuntu 24.04, add that user to the `adm` group. This action permits the user to switch to the root user, a powerful administrator account.

usermod -aG adm richard

That should do it!

To wrap up:

The root user account on Ubuntu 24.04 provides powerful administrative capabilities. Proceed with caution to ensure system security when using this account.

• The root account offers full administrative access and can perform any task on the system.
• By default, the root account is disabled to enhance security.
• You can easily enable the root account using the sudo command to set a password.
• Limiting the use of the su command helps prevent unauthorized access to the root account.
• Always ensure that only trusted users are added to the adm group to maintain system integrity.
• Regularly review user permissions and access to the root account to ensure ongoing security.