visudo

sudoers allows root to give other users on the system ability to gain root access.

Sample configuration file

# sudoers file
# This file MUST be edited with the 'visudo' command as root.

# Host alias specification
User_Alias PROG = khai, frank, bob

# Cmnd alias specification
Defaults timestamp_timeout=3600
Defaults logfile = /var/log/sudolog

# User privileges specification
root ALL=(ALL) ALL
nagios ALL = NOPASSWD: /code/bin/maintenance.pl

# Uncomment to allow people in group wheel to run all commands
# %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL

# Same thing without a password
# %wheel ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL

# Samples
# %users ALL=/sbin/mount /cdrom,/sbin/umount /cdrom
# %users localhost=/sbin/shutdown -h now

PROG ALL=(ALL) ALL
khai ALL = NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/send_apache_log.pl, /usr/bin/send_mysql_log.pl
robert ALL = NOPASSWD: /bin/chmod