Computer Auto-logs in as root after choosing shutdown.

[grimdestripador]

Every so often after I choose shutdown from the celena menu I am presented with an interesting security risk. I have not enabled my root account. But yet I find myself logged in as root, capable of editing everything in sight.
I believe this to be an ubuntu thing, since I remember happening throughout various releases. It never seems to be consistent, and has happened on my desktop and laptop. I reinstall often enough that i doubt that its an accumulation of installed packages.

I'm looking for a way to fix this. Or atleast a place where I can add further information on a bug issue.

The temporary fix is to type "poweroff" or "shutdown now". but even "shutdown now" sometimes takes two times before it actually does it. Even more weird, it scrolls all the process telling me that they are being stopped, and ends with a "sending term signal", then with mintQuotes and me logged in as root.

I assume that since the mintQuotes appears after the stopped process, that It is falling back to a runlevel and loggin in as root. Wouldn't this be a huge security risk, and in the interest of fixing since it gives root access to a user. What about a computer in a library. and the confusion it would cause.

[Husse]

This is odd
To clarify, it is not a reboot you are talking about? It seems not so
You are one way or the other kicked in to recovery mode
What bugs me is that you say it comes back after reinstalls
Do you use the same programs on both computers?
I'm thinking of some program that could give an unclean shutdown
What about "shutdown -h now"?
Any error messages?
And I actually don't recognize mintQuotes

[grimdestripador]

This is odd

Yes, it has happened though time, was wondering if this could somehow be triggered by shutting the monitor before it has shutdown completly. or perhapse f previous sleep job, then shutting down.

I'm unsure why this happends, and it is hard to give specifics. I figure it due to some process not shutting down properly. Maybe ndiswrapper, maybe a lost modprobe link to mintwifi when i use ndiswrapper? These are just hypothetical. But what would cause the system to go into recover mode, when selecting a shutdown.

[Husse]

But what would cause the system to go into recover mode, when selecting a shutdown.

Damn, if I know especially since it's no reboot.....
Perhaps scorp123 knows....
If it comes back collect as much data about it as you can

[scorp123]

Please give us the complete output of these commands:

Code: Select all

ls -alR /etc/init.d
ls -alR /etc/rc*.d
ls -alR /etc/event.d/
ls -alR /etc/default/
cat /etc/event.d/rc2
cat /etc/event.d/rc0

My assumption is that something in your 'init' scripts got screwed up and that you got something somewhere that doesn't play nice.

I assume correctly that the system in question is a desktop?

[grimdestripador]

The system in question, is a Dell Inspiron Laptop.
I'll get you the output soon.

[Lolo Uila]

Yes, some error or other oddity is causing your system to go into recovery mode. By default recovery mode logs you in as root. This is why not having a root account enabled by default is actually not so good for security.

To eliminate the security risk just set a root password. Then at least you will be left with a login password prompt instead of a system running as root.

Aloha, Tim

[Husse]

Remember what the Ubuntu devs say about root password and recovery mode - if someone has got physical access no password helps.....
But if you've got kids, by all means set a root pwd :)