The sudo command is a cornerstone of Linux system administration, and its upcoming replacement with the Rust-based sudo-rs in Ubuntu 25.10 marks a significant shift. This bold move aims to enhance security and modernize privilege management within the Ubuntu ecosystem. Dive in to understand why this change is happening, what sudo-rs brings to the table, and how it impacts your daily operations, whether you’re a casual user or a seasoned sysadmin. We’ll demystify the transition, ensuring you’re well-prepared for the future of sudo on Linux.
Ubuntu 25.10 Embraces sudo-rs: A New Era for Privilege Management
Ubuntu 25.10 is set to introduce a potentially controversial, yet forward-thinking, change: replacing the venerable sudo command with its Rust-based counterpart, sudo-rs. This decision is poised to spark many questions among the dedicated Linux community. Why this shift? What’s the rationale behind replacing a tool that has served us reliably for decades? How will you interact with this new sudo, and what happens to the classic implementation?
For the average end-user who relies on sudo for routine tasks requiring root privileges, the surface-level experience will remain largely unchanged. You’ll continue to type sudo as you always have, and the system will seamlessly execute the Rust-based version in the background. However, administrators with intricate custom sudo configurations, particularly those managing server environments, should pay close attention, as certain features and behaviors have evolved.
What is sudo-rs? A Rust-Powered Approach to Linux Security
sudo-rs is a modern reimplementation of the classic sudo and su commands, meticulously crafted in the Rust programming language. Rust is renowned for its strong emphasis on memory safety, a critical factor in preventing common security vulnerabilities that often plague C-based applications. While sudo-rs aims to replicate the core functionality of its predecessor, it’s not 100% feature-compatible. It consciously drops some legacy features and introduces a few of its own, with ongoing development continually refining its capabilities. This initiative is a testament to the growing trend of adopting Rust for critical system components within the Linux ecosystem, enhancing overall stability and security.
Why the Shift to sudo-rs? Addressing Legacy Challenges
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” is a common adage. However, the developers behind Ubuntu’s decision argue that in the realm of Linux security, proactive evolution is key. The primary drivers for adopting sudo-rs include:
- Enhanced Memory Safety: Rust’s compile-time borrow checker guarantees superior memory management, significantly mitigating a class of vulnerabilities that have historically affected C-based programs. This is a monumental gain for system security.
- Modern Codebase: The original
sudo‘s C codebase, spanning over 30 years, has become increasingly complex and challenging to maintain.sudo-rsoffers a clean, modern foundation that is easier to evolve, patch, and audit. - Improved Defaults:
sudo-rstakes the opportunity to remove outdated or potentially risky features, setting new, more secure defaults from the outset. - Broader Contributor Base: There’s a noticeable trend of younger developers gravitating towards modern languages like Rust. Its inherent safety features make it less intimidating for new contributors, fostering a wider and more confident developer community to maintain and improve this critical tool.
Essentially, the extensive and aged codebase of the classic sudo presented significant hurdles for maintenance and feature implementation. Rewriting it from scratch in a memory-safe language like Rust not only streamlines development but also broadens the appeal for new contributions. It’s also worth noting that the sudo-rs development team actively collaborates with the original sudo maintainers, and their findings have led to security fixes in both the new Rust-based implementation and the classic version. This collaborative approach indicates that sudo-rs isn’t just a replacement, but a natural evolution in privilege management for Linux.
sudo vs. sudo-rs: Key Differences for Linux Users and Sysadmins
From an ordinary end-user’s perspective, the practical differences between sudo and sudo-rs are minimal. You’ll continue to invoke commands with sudo, seamlessly executing sudo-rs in the background. You might encounter slightly altered warning or error messages, but that’s typically the extent of the visible change.
However, for system administrators and advanced users, there are several key distinctions:
- Feature Parity: Some features present in the original
sudoare currently absent insudo-rs, and some may not be implemented at all. For instance, thesendmailsupport, historically used for sending notifications aboutsudousage, will not be part ofsudo-rs. - PAM Integration:
sudo-rsmandates the use of PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) for authentication. Your system must be properly configured for PAM, withsudo-rsutilizing thesudoandsudo-iservice configurations. This means that resource limits, umasks, and other system-level settings must now be configured via PAM, rather than directly within thesudoersfile. - Wildcard Limitations: To prevent common and potentially dangerous configuration mistakes,
sudo-rsexplicitly does not support wildcards in argument positions for commands within thesudoersfile. This is a deliberate security enhancement.
Unique Tip for Sysadmins: Before Ubuntu 25.10 rolls out to your production environments, consider setting up a test virtual machine with sudo-rs. Proactively review your existing sudoers file for any configurations that might rely on features like sendmail or argument wildcards, and prepare to adapt them to the sudo-rs paradigm and PAM configurations.
Navigating sudo and sudo-rs in Ubuntu 25.10
In Ubuntu 25.10, the familiar sudo command will effectively be a symbolic link to sudo-rs. This transparent setup ensures that your existing workflows remain undisturbed while leveraging the benefits of the new implementation.
The original sudo, for historical or compatibility reasons, will still reside on your system, accessible via the sudo-ws command. This naming convention cleverly references the official website of the classic sudo project, sudo.ws.
Should you have a compelling reason to use the original sudo, you can simply invoke sudo-ws directly. However, for most users, there will be no discernible difference apart from minor alterations in error or warning messages.
Until Ubuntu 26.04, you retain the option to make the classic sudo the default by updating your system’s alternatives. While this is technically possible, it’s generally not advisable without a robust justification. Embracing sudo-rs aligns with the future trajectory of Ubuntu and the broader Linux ecosystem. Unless specific compatibility issues arise, there’s little harm in adopting the Rust-based version, which is clearly positioned as the way forward.
sudo update-alternatives --config sudoPro-Tip: sudo-rs has been available in the universe repository since Ubuntu 24.04. If you’re eager to experiment, you can install it and test it by explicitly typing sudo-rs instead of sudo in your commands. Other Linux distributions may also offer this package, allowing for early exploration.
Beyond sudo-rs: Exploring Other Privilege Management Tools
While sudo-rs is making headlines, it’s not the sole player in the realm of privilege management. Several alternatives have existed for years:
- doas: Often considered a lightweight, minimalist alternative to
sudo, originating from OpenBSD. It offers a simpler configuration model. - RootAsRole: Another Rust-based implementation, RootAsRole, provides similar functionality to
sudo, focusing on role-based privilege escalation. - uid0 (from systemd): While not a direct substitute for
sudoin the same vein,uid0from systemd does serve a related purpose by allowing non-root processes to execute tasks with elevated privileges under specific, controlled conditions.
The official sudo website also lists various alternatives, though not all of them are actively maintained. When considering any privilege management tool, active development and a robust community are crucial indicators of its reliability and security. The emergence of sudo-rs underscores the community’s ongoing commitment to innovation and security in Linux system administration.
FAQ
Question 1: What exactly is sudo-rs and why is Ubuntu adopting it?
Answer 1: sudo-rs is a modern re-implementation of the classic C-based sudo command, written in the memory-safe Rust programming language. Ubuntu is adopting it in version 25.10 primarily to enhance system security through Rust’s memory safety guarantees, modernize a decades-old codebase, establish better default security configurations, and attract a broader base of contemporary developers to maintain this critical system tool.
Question 2: Will my command usage change with sudo-rs in Ubuntu 25.10?
Answer 2: For most end-users, your command usage will not change. Starting with Ubuntu 25.10, the familiar sudo command will be soft-linked to sudo-rs. This means you’ll continue typing sudo as you always have, and the system will automatically execute sudo-rs in the background. Any visible changes will be minimal, likely limited to slightly altered warning or error messages.
Question 3: Can I revert to the classic sudo if needed?
Answer 3: Yes, temporarily. The original sudo remains on the system as the sudo-ws command. Until Ubuntu 26.04, you can use update-alternatives to set the classic sudo as the default. However, Canonical plans to fully test and potentially make sudo-rs the sole sudo mechanism in Ubuntu 26.10, so reverting should be considered a short-term workaround. For sysadmins, understanding the sudo-rs man page is crucial for managing configurations, as direct reversion might not be a long-term strategy.
Question 4: What are the practical differences between sudo and sudo-rs for users and administrators?
Answer 4: For common end-users, there are virtually no practical differences beyond potential changes in error messages. For advanced users and sysadmins, several key features have changed: sudo-rs requires PAM for authentication, meaning resource limits and umasks are configured via PAM, not the sudoers file. Features like sendmail support and wildcard usage in argument positions within the sudoers file are also absent or handled differently. Administrators should consult the official sudo-rs documentation and man pages for detailed compatibility and configuration specifics.
Conclusion
The transition to sudo-rs in Ubuntu 25.10 signifies an important leap forward in Linux privilege management, prioritizing enhanced security and a modern codebase. If you’re a regular user who rarely touches the sudoers file, there’s little to worry about; your workflow will remain largely uninterrupted. However, for those managing servers with intricate custom sudo configurations, this change demands your attention and proactive adaptation.
Was replacing a seemingly perfectly functional piece of software with a Rust-based alternative a wise decision? Is this yet another example of the “let’s do it in Rust” phenomenon sweeping the development world? Regardless of opinion, the move underscores a commitment to fortifying the foundations of the Linux operating system. Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below – your insights are valuable to the community!