FreeBSD VPS: Users
As part of the automatic maintenance provided with VPS products, all new accounts contain several necessary account
users by default, such as root, ftp, pop, and the administrative user (created when you ordered the account). You
can create additional users and offer them different services, such as FTP, email, or shell access. This section
discusses adding, managing, and removing users.
When adding, configuring, or removing users, you must be the root user. You can become the root user by typing su at
the command line and supplying the root user password.
Adding Users
To add an account user, follow these steps from the command line:
- Type vadduser and press Enter.
- Further instructions and information for vadduser will display during this step and throughout the vadduser process. Press Enter to continue after reviewing the information.
- Type the username for the user and press Enter. Usernames consist of alphanumeric characters up to 16 characters. The first character cannot be a number.
- Type the user's password and press Enter. Use a password that will not easily be guessed. A combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols is an example of a more secure password. If a particularly insecure password is entered, the system will prompt to enter a more secure password. You will need to type the same password twice for confirmation.
- Type the user's full name and press Enter. This information will display when using system tools such as vlist (used to list all account users).
- Type the user's home directory path and press Enter. The vadduser command simplifies this step and provides a recommended path for you. You can press Enter without typing a path to select this default.
- Select the services to offer the user. This prompt is a toggle-style prompt, with the FTP and email services enabled for the user by default. Available services include ftp, mail, and shell. Type the service name at the prompt and press Enter to toggle the service on or off. Press Enter when done.
Shell access allows control over many aspects of the account. Shell access should only be offered to trusted users. With shell access users can potentially change files or settings affecting your entire account. Use care when offering the shell service to users.
- Type the user's allotted filesystem quota in megabytes (MB). The quota must be a whole number. Enter 0 to give the user an unlimited quota (up to the free space available for your plan). Press Enter to complete the addition of the user.
Managing and Configuring Users
To list all existing account users, type vlist at the command prompt.
To change the full name, services offered, or quota for a user, follow these steps from the command line:
- Type vedituser and press Enter
- Type the name of the user in question and press Enter.
- Select the services to offer the user. This prompt is a toggle-style prompt, with the FTP and email services enabled for the user by default. Available services include ftp, mail, and shell. Type the service name at the prompt and press Enter to toggle the service on or off.
- Press Enter when done.
To change an account user's password, follow these steps from the command line:
- Type passwd name, where name is the username of the user in question. Press Enter.
- Type the new password and press Enter. Type the new password again for confirmation and press Enter. If the two passwords do not match, you will need to type them again.
Use a password that will not easily be guessed. A combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols is an example of a more secure password. If a particularly insecure password is entered, the system will prompt to enter a more secure password.
Removing Users
To remove an account user, follow these steps from the command line:
- Type vrmuser and press Enter.
- Type the username of the user to remove. If the user does not exist, the system will indicate the user does not
exist in the password database and exit the removal process.
- The system will display the password entry for the user to be removed and ask you to confirm the removal of the
user. Type yes if the information is correct or no to exit the process. Press Enter.
Use extreme caution when removing the home directory of users (step 4). You will not be warned if Web content or
other important information is stored in the user's home directory.
The system will display the user's home directory and ask if you wish to remove it. Type yes and press Enter to remove the directory and complete the removal of the user, or type no and press Enter to remove the user, but keep the user's home directory and its contents.
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