Does `sudo` need a password?

Question

I've seen so many questions about using sudo without a password, but my question is, does sudo need a password?

I've read on some sites that sudo allow us to execute a command with privilege of root user without password. But whenever I try to execute chmod with sudo it requires a password, not of the root account but the password I use to log into Ubuntu.

Are passwords for root and system administrator different?

Related: I can use sudo but I can't use su due to a password Authentication failure, shouldn't both be the same password? — Ravexina, Jul 31 '17 at 05:35

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 19 '18 at 09:33

1

The root password and system admin passwords are different. A system will have only one root password but many system admin passwords.

Some users will be given the privilege to run the sudo command. Usually system admins will have this privilege so that they don't need the root password to run sudo. If the user doesn't have that privilege, they need the root password to run sudo.

edited Mar 19 '18 at 09:33

Zanna

70,465

answered Jul 31 '17 at 05:39

duguarun

49
5

Does `sudo` need a password?

1 Answers1