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Linux User Management: Modifying User Settings and Removing Groups

Managing users and groups is an essential part of administering a Linux system. Users and groups are responsible for managing all activity on the server from `root`, to service accounts, to regular user accounts. In this lab, students will practice changing user settings such as the user shell, home directory, and group.

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Lab Info
Level
Beginner
Last updated
Sep 23, 2025
Duration
15m

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Table of Contents
  1. Challenge

    Use sudo to Gain root Access
    # sudo -i
    
  2. Challenge

    Change the dbadmin User's Default Shell to Prevent the User from Logging In
    # usermod -s /sbin/nologin dbadmin
    
  3. Challenge

    Check to See If the dba Group Exists. If It Does Not Exist, Create the dba Group. Change the dbadmin User's Primary Group to dba
    # grep dbadmin /etc/group
    # groupadd dba
    # usermod -g dba dbadmin
    
  4. Challenge

    Set /dba as the Users Home Directory. If the Directory Does Not Exist, Create It
    # ls -al /
    # mkdir /dba
    # chown dbadmin:dba /dba
    # chmod 740 /dba
    # cp /home/dbadmin/.bash* /dba
    # usermod -d /dba dbadmin
    
  5. Challenge

    Verify the New User Settings: For User dbadmin, the Group Should Be Set to dba, the Home Directory Should Be Set to /dba, and the Shell Should Be Set to /sbin/nologin
    # grep dbadmin /etc/passwd
    # grep <GID for dbadmin from /etc/passwd> /etc/group
    
  6. Challenge

    Remove the Old Home Directory, /home/dbadmin. Check to See If Any Users Are Still Members of the Old Group, dbadmin. If Not, Remove the Old Group
    # rm -R /home/dbadmin
    # grep dbadmin /etc/group
    # grep 1004 /etc/passwd
    # groupdel dbadmin
    
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