Skip to main content

Fix Missing sudo Access (DigitalOcean Droplet)

Problem​

After creating a droplet and disabling root login, sudo access was not granted:

ubuntu is not in the sudoers file

Root Cause​

The ubuntu user is not part of the sudo group.

Recovery Steps (Recovery Mode)​

1. Boot into Recovery Mode​

  • Power off droplet
  • Enable Recovery ISO
  • Open console
  • Mount filesystem (drive)
  • Use Interactive bash

2. Identify Disk​

lsblk

Typical output:

vda
└─vda1

3. Mount Filesystem​

mkdir -p /mnt
mount /dev/vda1 /mnt

4. Fix .ssh Permission (if needed)​

If .ssh shows missing execute (x) permission:

chmod 700 /mnt/home/ubuntu/.ssh

5. Bind System Directories​

mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc
mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys

6. Chroot into System​

chroot /mnt

7. Add sudo Access​

usermod -aG sudo ubuntu

Verify:

groups ubuntu

Expected:

ubuntu : ubuntu sudo

8. Fallback (Force sudo)​

If group method fails:

echo "ubuntu ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL" >> /etc/sudoers

9. Exit and Reboot​

exit
reboot

Then switch droplet back to Normal Boot.

10. Test​

sudo whoami

Expected output:

root

Notes​

  • .ssh must have 700 permission (drwx------)
  • Directory needs execute (x) to allow cd
  • Always ensure at least one sudo user before disabling root login

Troubleshooting​

Run from recovery environment:

cat /mnt/etc/passwd | grep ubuntu
cat /mnt/etc/group | grep sudo

Common Mistakes​

  • Not running chroot
  • Mounting wrong partition (vda instead of vda1)
  • Forgetting bind mounts (/dev, /proc, /sys)
  • Not switching back to normal boot