How to solve "sudo: /etc/sudoers.d is world writable"

Question

How can I fix the following error with sudo?

/etc$ sudo
sudo: /etc/sudoers.d is world writable
usage: sudo [-D level] -h | -K | -k | -V
usage: sudo -v [-AknS] [-D level] [-g groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-u user
            name|#uid]
usage: sudo -l[l] [-AknS] [-D level] [-g groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-U user
            name] [-u user name|#uid] [-g groupname|#gid] [command]
usage: sudo [-AbEHknPS] [-r role] [-t type] [-C fd] [-D level] [-g
            groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-u user name|#uid] [-g groupname|#gid]
            [VAR=value] [-i|-s] [<command>]
usage: sudo -e [-AknS] [-r role] [-t type] [-C fd] [-D level] [-g
            groupname|#gid] [-p prompt] [-u user name|#uid] file ...

looks like changing permissions on `/etc` is a bad thing http://serverfault.com/questions/364677/why-is-chmod-r-777-destructive http://serverfault.com/questions/221447/how-to-repair-restore-ubuntu-10-04-after-sudo-chmod-777 — zadubz, Dec 29 '14 at 00:00
If "pkexec chmod 555 /etc/sudoers.d" does not work for you due to pkexec having a permission promblem, get the PID of the shell you are running pkexec in suing "echo $$" then log in another window and do a " pkttyagent --process XXX" with the XXX replaced with the PID of the other shell. Once that is running, retry the pkexec in other shell — Cullen Fluffy Jennings, Feb 29 '20 at 23:59
Thank you, @CullenFluffyJennings. That worked for me. Keep safe... — Jonathan, Apr 19 '21 at 13:17

score 47 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 17 '16 at 00:43

47

Run pkexec chmod 0755 /etc/sudoers.d

pkexec will use a different method of using root permissions, bypassing the issue.
And the chmod will fix the permissions.

edited Jan 17 '16 at 00:43

kos

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answered Jun 05 '13 at 03:19

demure

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did not help :( – Unamata Sanatarai Oct 15 '14 at 14:34
@demure , which password i have to use? – chirag satapara Oct 12 '16 at 14:34
I have tried pkexec chmod 0755 /etc – Vijay Wilson Feb 21 '17 at 14:05
1

`Error executing command as another user: Not authorized` if I could switch to the root user I wouldn't need to do this in the first place... – Mark Kramer Mar 04 '17 at 00:14
This will not work if you are not running a graphical environment – Cullen Fluffy Jennings Feb 29 '20 at 23:53

score 40 · Answer 2 · edited Sep 12 '16 at 08:35

40

Run this 2 commands with (555) permissions:

pkexec chmod 555 /etc/sudoers
pkexec chmod 555 /etc/sudoers.d/README

edited Sep 12 '16 at 08:35

edwinksl

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answered Sep 12 '16 at 05:30

Kamal Jain

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Worked for me. Fantastic! – codewitharefin Jul 29 '17 at 05:54
worked for me great – Shubham Sharma Oct 26 '17 at 09:29
its worked for me :) – Hafiz Arslan May 28 '19 at 05:34
1

works great on LTS 16.04 – cvocvo Aug 08 '19 at 16:49
This will not work if you are not running a graphical environment – Cullen Fluffy Jennings Feb 29 '20 at 23:53
Worked for me Thank you, @KamalJain. – shivlal kumavat Dec 23 '20 at 05:18
Linux mint: worked like a charm! – wui Aug 23 '22 at 09:13

Gdcrocx · Answer 3 · 2016-04-26T04:54:09.730

13

Did you try going into recovery mode and switching the permissions back to 775 for sudoers? I tried it and it worked.

1) Get into Ubuntu Recovery

2) Do mount -rw -o remount /

3) Then chmod 775 -R /etc/sudoers and chmod 775 -R /etc/sudoers.d/.

This time it should work.

4) Then do a sudo apt-get install of any package to test before you leave recovery mode. Late reply but I encountered the issue recently and tried this. It worked fine atleast for the world writable issue.

edited Apr 26 '16 at 04:54

answered Mar 13 '16 at 19:34

Gdcrocx

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What do you mean by "Get into Ubuntu Recovery"? Once I'm at the recovery menu do I select `root`? That gets me to a root shell that is in recovery but this doesn't seem to work. – Mark Kramer Mar 04 '17 at 00:34
I got `sudo` to work by using live USB, mounting in `/mnt`, and `chroot /mnt` – qwr Aug 24 '18 at 23:10
thanks Gdcrocx. its work – Imon Dec 14 '21 at 11:46
after I execute the commands you wrote in recovery mode and restart, they are no more valid. – Asqan Sep 11 '22 at 10:58

How to solve "sudo: /etc/sudoers.d is world writable"

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