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Date:      Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:20:36 -0600 (MDT)
From:      "M. Warner Losh" <imp@bsdimp.com>
To:        dmw@unete.cl
Cc:        freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: A few questions...
Message-ID:  <20070727.162036.-1350495603.imp@bsdimp.com>
In-Reply-To: <200707232052.58485.dmw@unete.cl>
References:  <200707232052.58485.dmw@unete.cl>

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In message: <200707232052.58485.dmw@unete.cl>
            Daniel Molina Wegener <dmw@unete.cl> writes:
: 
: Hello,
: 
:    I need information about few things, I hope someone can help
: me and thanks in advance.
: 
: a) Is there any function or variable that tells me which is the
:    root user UID in the system, or root always have 0 and it's
:    an "elegant" option to compare the variables or structure
:    members against zero.

The super user is always UID == 0.  By definition.

The root account typically is 0, but doesn't have to be.
User accounts typically aren't 0, but can be (cf toor).
Any account with a uid of 0 is a super user.

It is the super user that gets all the toys.

: b) Can normal users look for system processes or kernel threads?

Sometimes.  See the sysctls security.bsd.see_other_gids and 
security.bsd.see_other_uids.

: c) Can root look for system processes or kernel threads?

If it is the super user, yes.

Warner



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