How to Enable Root User on Ubuntu 24.04

Enable root

To enable root user Ubuntu access on version 24.04, you need to open your terminal and set a password for the built-in administrator account. Ubuntu keeps the root account locked by default for security reasons. Running specific commands in the command line unlocks this account so you can log in directly with full system privileges whenever you need to perform advanced administrative tasks.

Switch to the root account with the `sudo -i` command to begin enabling the root user on Ubuntu 24.04. Setting a strong password for the root user follows next. This credential allows direct login as the root user when administrative tasks demand it.

Run this `sudo` command.

sudo -s

Terminal prompts request the current password; enter it to proceed.

Next, execute the command that configures the root user's password.

sudo passwd root

Terminal prompts require entering and confirming a new password for the root account.

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

Configuring the root user password automatically enables the account.

Run the following command and enter the root password to switch your active command-line session (shell) 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 operations run with the highest level of system privileges. This root status grants complete control over the entire Ubuntu 24.04 system.

root@Ubuntu:~# 

Restrict the su command

To restrict the su command on Ubuntu and secure your system, you need to edit the Pluggable Authentication Modules configuration file for switching users. Restricting this command stops unauthorized local users from jumping into the administrator account even if they guess your password. You just edit a text file in the terminal to force users into a specific security group before they can run the switch user command.

Executing the command below opens the su configuration file.

nano /etc/pam.d/su

Uncomment the highlighted line inside 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

Save changes and exit the editor.

Granting permission to use the `su` command on Ubuntu 24.04 requires adding the target user to the `adm` group. Membership in this group permits switching to the root user, a powerful administrator account.

usermod -aG adm richard

Configuration finishes here.

Summary:

Root access grants total control over every file and service. Treat this account with care to keep the operating system stable.

• 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.