The sudo command is a critical part of Unix and Linux-based systems, granting users temporary administrative privileges to perform tasks that require root access. But did you know that sudo has a humorous side? If you configure it correctly, sudo can provide a series of amusing insults when you enter an incorrect password. In this article, we’ll explore where these insults are stored and how you can enable them.
The insults used by sudo are stored in header files in the source code of the sudo package. They can be found in the plugins/sudoers directory of the source directory or in the binary file /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so. You can use the strings command or the Debian code search website to access and search for the insults.
What are Sudo Insults?
Sudo insults are humorous messages that the sudo command returns when a user enters an incorrect password. This feature is not enabled by default, but it can be activated by modifying the sudoers file.
Enabling Sudo Insults
To enable sudo insults, you need to edit the sudoers file. You can do this by running the command sudo visudo. This will open the sudoers file in your system’s default text editor.
Next, find the line that reads Defaults env_reset and modify it to Defaults env_reset,insults. Save and exit the file. Now, whenever you enter an incorrect password, sudo will respond with a humorous insult.
Where Are Sudo Insults Stored?
The insults used by sudo are stored in the source code of the sudo package. They are located in several header files, such as ins_2001.h, ins_classic.h, ins_csops.h, ins_goons.h, and insults.h. These files contain the actual insult messages in plain text format.
Locating the Insults Files
To locate these files, you can enable source downloads and use the apt source sudo command. This command downloads the source code of the sudo package. You can find the insults files in the plugins/sudoers directory of the source directory.
Alternatively, you can search for the insults in the binary file /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so using the strings command. The strings command in Unix or Linux is used to find and print the readable sequences of characters in a binary file. Running strings /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so will display the readable strings from the binary file, including the insults.
Listing All the Insults
If you want to list all the insults directly from the terminal, you can use the strings command with some additional filtering. For example, strings /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so | head -n1670 | tail -n49 will display the insults from the binary file. The head -n1670 command displays the first 1670 lines of output, and the tail -n49 command displays the last 49 lines of those 1670 lines.
Searching for Specific Insults
Another approach is to use the Debian code search website to search for specific insults. This allows you to find the insults in various files, including configuration files, by searching for the insult text.
Conclusion
In summary, the insults used by sudo are stored in header files in the source code of the sudo package. They can be found in the plugins/sudoers directory of the source directory or in the binary file /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so. You can use the strings command or the Debian code search website to access and search for the insults.
While the sudo command is a serious tool for system administration, it’s nice to know that it has a lighter side. The next time you mistype your password, you might just get a laugh out of it.
To enable sudo insults, you need to edit the sudoers file by running the command sudo visudo. Modify the line that reads Defaults env_reset to Defaults env_reset,insults. Save and exit the file. Now, whenever you enter an incorrect password, sudo will respond with a humorous insult.
The insults used by sudo are stored in the source code of the sudo package. They can be found in several header files, such as ins_2001.h, ins_classic.h, ins_csops.h, ins_goons.h, and insults.h. These files contain the insult messages in plain text format.
To locate the insult files, you can enable source downloads and use the apt source sudo command. This command downloads the source code of the sudo package. You can find the insult files in the plugins/sudoers directory of the source directory. Alternatively, you can search for the insults in the binary file /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so using the strings command.
Yes, you can use the strings command with some additional filtering. For example, running strings /usr/lib/sudo/sudoers.so | head -n1670 | tail -n49 will display the insults from the binary file. The head -n1670 command displays the first 1670 lines of output, and the tail -n49 command displays the last 49 lines of those 1670 lines.
One approach is to use the Debian code search website to search for specific insults. This allows you to find the insults in various files, including configuration files, by searching for the insult text.
