There is still a large amount of confusion in regards to the rooting devices. Hopefully this post will clear up most of it.
Why "root" anything?
If you're wondering why someone would need root access, then you probably do not need root access yourself and could skip this long post.
If you're still curious as to why then look at it this way, do you allow your ISP to tell you what you can do with your computer? Do they get to dictate what operating system you run on the hardware you payed for? Hells no!
That's like purchasing a cup of coffee, then discovering that it is locked inside a metal container and the only way to drink it is through a provided straw. WTH? I don't want to drink my coffee through a damn straw, I payed for it why can't I just drink it the normal way?
What's the password?
There is no password involved. It's not like if we had some magical password would be able to go to Settings > Login as Root. Don't think of root access as an administrative user. Think of it as a level of security clearance. And that security clearance is simply not granted to anyone using, or any application running on top of, the stock Motorola Android OS.
How would I "root" the phone?
The only way to gain root access is for someone to find an attack vector, a hole in Motorola's "firewall", that will allow one to execute commands as the root user. Once a vector is found people will be able to grant root access to themselves and programs they select, giving them full control over the device just as Motorola intended for us not to do.
Finding the attack vector is insanely hard. But once it's found there will be many websites posting easy-to-follow instructions on how to "root your Droid".
Does rooting a device have it's risks?
Yes. If Motorola or Verizon finds out they will probably void your warranty. Luckily you generally COULD flash a default ROM back on the phone before sending/taking it in and they will be none the wiser. Additionally most people root their devices so that they can install custom ROM's. Unfortunately, anytime you flash something to ROM you run a small risk of completely bricking said device. Luckily, that risk has been mitigated with backups and other handy tools.
Does it decrease the security of the phone?
No, unless you are not very street smart about computer security, in which case yes it could. However, for those of us that are knowledgeable this can actually increase the security of our phone. For example, we can plug security holes as soon as they are found because we do not have to wait on official OS updates.
@eraser Thank you for posting that. I was going to say something, but figured I might be feeding the troll.
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