What does sudo do in Linux?

Sudo stands for "superuser do," and its primary function in Linux is to allow a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser or another user, as specified by the security policy configured in the sudoers file. Running commands with superuser privileges enables a user to perform administrative tasks that require elevated rights, such as installing software, modifying system configuration files, or managing user permissions. This is essential for maintaining security, as it restricts access to these powerful commands to authorized users while keeping a log of their usage for auditing.

While it might seem that the option mentioning user privileges is somewhat related, the critical distinction is that superuser privileges specifically grant access to a higher level of control than regular user privileges, which helps safeguard the integrity and security of the system. The other options—shutting down the system or displaying system information—are functionalities that can be executed in many contexts, but they do not encapsulate the primary purpose of sudo.