SUMMARY: Changing primary groups under C2 Security

From: Paul N. Youngblood <youngbp_at_email.uah.edu>
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 1998 11:45:24 -0600 (CST)

Hello managers,

My original question is at the end of this message. The answer
is to use the moduser -g command, and NOT vipw. I was on the
wrong track in thinking that I needed to use vipw on /etc/passwd.
Note that the moduser command is not available on Digital UNIX
version 3.2x or earlier. The moduser -g will change the primary
group (GID) in BOTH /etc/passwd AND in the secure database.
The change in the secure database IS REQUIRED if you are running
Enhanced Security. But you must also use something like the
chgrp -R command on the user's home directory if you want the
user's home directory tree to reflect the new primary group
ownership. Those using acls with group names would have to
follow up on their acls also -- I don't have to worry about that
since we don't use them. I plan to use a simple korn shell
script to read in the login names one at a time and then do the
moduser and chgrp against each.

Thank you very much to the following people who took the time
to respond and put me on the right track !!!

   Dr. Tom Blinn, <tpb_at_zk3.dec.com>
   John Robens <jrobens_at_davidjones.com.au>
   Jerome M Berkman <jerry_at_uclink.berkeley.edu>

Also, thanks to Alan Davis <Alan.Davis_at_digital.com> who suggested
using edauth. I don't know how to use edauth to alter the primary
group of a user, but perhaps that is the command you must use if
you are running DU 3.2x and you are faced with my particular problem.

Paul Youngblood

--------------------------------------------------------------
          *** Original Posting ***
--------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Changing primary groups under C2 Security

Hello managers,

What's the best way to change the primary groups of a bunch of
users to another primary group? I've got a total of 2800 users
and I want to change the primary groups of about 700 of them to
one new primary group. Currently, these 700 are spread across
eight different primary groups.

I'm running DU 4.0B with C2 Security on an Alpha 2100. I am not
running NIS. I keep running into cautions in the man pages and
other documentation to NOT use vipw on /etc/passwd if you are
running Enhanced Security, but I cannot find any information that
really explains this. Is there a way that I can use vipw on my
/etc/passwd and still keep C2 Security "happy" ?? I'll summarize.
Thank you in advance for any help you provide.

Paul Youngblood
youngblood_at_uah.edu
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Received on Tue Feb 17 1998 - 18:35:49 NZDT

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