Server Tools Don't Prompt for Root Password

[Randy Chrismon]

Jeff Vian wrote:

>On Sat, 2004-11-20 at 16:34 -0500, Randy Chrismon wrote:
>  
>
>>Sharon Kimble wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Randy Chrismon wrote:
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Sorry, should have been clearer. The System Tools are the ones off the
>>>>KDE or Gnome menu -- you know, clicking on the Red Hat button. <snip>
>>>>
>>>>   
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>Network Device Control from the 'System Tools' menu does not ask for the
>>>password <snip>
>>> 
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>You are right and I specified the wrong thing. Let me put it this way: 
>>any administrative tool off the task bar menu that would require the 
>>root user used to prompt for the root user password. Now they only throw 
>>up a message box saying insufficient rights. This behavior just happened 
>>one day and _may_ have resulted from something an apt-get dist-upgrade 
>>did.  I have been totally unable to find anything in message archives or 
>>documentation that addresses this. Finally, I have a _very_ vauge 
>>recollection from about a bazillion years ago that there is a 
>>configuration file, somewhere, that listed applications that should 
>>prompt for the root password - this is something different than 
>>execution privileges file rights. I may be dreaming about this 
>>configuration file since I can't find anything about it, either. In any 
>>event, I want the "old" behavior where my administrative tools prompted 
>>me for the root password.
>>I very much appreciate the feedback.
>>Randy
>>
>>    
>>
>
><snip>
>menu -> system settings ->  points to apps that DO require root
>privileges. 
>
>If I try to open anything from the system settings menu it does open the
>window for the root password.
>I also see the same box open up if I run the app from the CLI (system-
>config-network is an example)
>
>If you are getting the message about insufficient rights when you are
>trying from either the CLI or the system settings menu, then it seems
>likely that some configuration has been hosed but I cannot answer where
>the configuration is for sure.
>  
>
Exactly.

>It seems that /etc/security/console.apps/  has a lot of files that
>provide this information and is likely what you are referring to.  They
>may also be the reason you are not getting what you expect.
>
>  
>
I seem to be doing a terrible job of explaining myself. I _did_ misstate 
the applications in my question: The System Settings applications off 
the main redhat button on the tool bar used to prompt for the root 
password. They no longer do so and I'm trying to get that behavior back. 
There are console.apps and console.perms files but they do not seem to 
address this issue -- certainly man on either one does not mention 
prompting for root password.
I'll bet this is one of those things that is very simple to fix but a 
bear to get a handle on!
Thanks for the help so far. It is helping me to narrow the scope.
Randy