What is the purpose of the sudo command in Linux?

The sudo command in Linux stands for "superuser do." It is a powerful and essential command that allows a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser or another user, as specified by the security policy configured in the /etc/sudoers file. The superuser in Linux is often referred to as "root," and it has elevated privileges, enabling it to perform tasks that regular users cannot.

1. Elevated Privileges:
   • By default, regular users have limited permissions on a Linux system to ensure security. The sudo command allows a permitted user to execute a command with elevated privileges, effectively performing administrative tasks.
2. Security Policy:
   • The sudo command relies on a configuration file called /etc/sudoers to define the security policy. This file contains rules that specify which users or groups are allowed to execute commands as the superuser or another user, and which commands they are allowed to run.
3. Command Syntax:
   • The basic syntax of the sudo command is:cssCopy codesudo [OPTION] COMMAND [ARGUMENTS...]
     
     • OPTION: Additional options that modify the behavior of sudo.
     • COMMAND: The command to be executed with elevated privileges.
     • ARGUMENTS: Any arguments or parameters required by the command.
4. Usage Examples:
   • Running a command as the superuser:bashCopy codesudo ls /root
     This example uses sudo to list the contents of the /root directory, which is typically only accessible by the superuser.
   • Executing a command as another user:bashCopy codesudo -u username command
     Replace username with the target user and command with the desired command to be executed.
5. Password Authentication:
   • By default, sudo prompts the user for their password before executing a command. This adds an additional layer of security, ensuring that the user attempting to use sudo has the necessary permissions.
6. Audit Trail:
   • sudo maintains an audit trail by logging each executed command. This audit trail is beneficial for tracking system changes and identifying potential security issues.