Linux User Management: Modifying User Settings and Removing Groups

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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

Challenge

Use sudo to Gain root Access
```
# sudo -i
```
Challenge

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

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

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
```
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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