I don't do Linux, but did you check your dsm.sys?
For other UNIX variants, there is a GROUP and USER parm that can be included
in dsm.sys, that restrict access for dsm and dsmc to the specified GROUPs or
USERs...

> ----------
> From:         Richard L Shepherd[SMTP:richards AT waikato.ac DOT nz]
> Sent:         Wednesday, June 24, 1998 9:02 PM
> To:   ADSM-L AT vm.marist DOT edu
> Subject:      Re: Why can only root can use dsm?
>
> David Robson wrote:
> >
> > It all seems to backup O.K., but only the superuser can use the dsm
> > and dsmc commands.  If another user tries, they get the following
> > message:
> >
> > ANS4507E Trusted Communication Agent has terminated unexpectedly.
>
> Hmm I don't get that with my Linux boxes using ADSM.  Here's my
> permissions:
>
> root@bts:~# ls -laR /etc/adsm/
> total 7
> drwx------   2 root     root         1024 Feb 19 15:21 .
> drwxr-xr-x  54 root     root         5120 Jun 24 14:23 ..
> -rw-------   1 root     root           81 Feb 19 15:21 ADSM2
>
> root@bts:~# ls -laR /usr/adsm/
> total 4008
> drwxr-xr-x   2 root     sys          1024 Apr  2 16:49 .
> drwxr-xr-x  18 root     root         1024 Apr 23 13:13 ..
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys          3832 Dec 11  1997 DSM.icon
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        128765 Feb 19 14:50 DSMX
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        128767 Dec 11  1997
> DSMX.OpenDesktop.svga
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        128987 Dec 11  1997
> DSMX.OpenDesktop.vga
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        128765 Dec 11  1997 DSMX.Xsight.svga
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        128765 Dec 11  1997 DSMX.Xsight.vga
> -r--r--r--   1 root     sys         24785 Dec 11  1997 README
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        277760 Dec 11  1997 dscameng.txt
> -rwxr-xr-x   1 root     sys       1073240 Dec 11  1997 dsm
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     root           42 Feb 19 14:52 dsm.opt
> -r--r--r--   1 root     sys           925 Dec 11  1997 dsm.opt.smp
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     root          337 Feb 19 14:51 dsm.sys
> -r--r--r--   1 root     sys          1115 Dec 11  1997 dsm.sys.smp
> -rwxr-xr-x   1 root     sys        260168 Dec 11  1997 dsmadmc
> -rwxr-xr-x   1 root     sys        505244 Dec 11  1997 dsmc
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        717348 Dec 11  1997 dsmc.hlp
> -rwsr-xr-x   1 root     sys        230272 Dec 11  1997 dsmtca
> -rwxr-xr-x   1 root     sys           469 Dec 11  1997 dsmv
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        110299 Dec 11  1997 dsmx.hlp
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     root          327 Apr  2 16:49 filter.adsm
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys          3835 Dec 11  1997 info.bit
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys        198460 Dec 11  1997 options.doc
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys          3899 Dec 11  1997 question.bit
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys          3835 Dec 11  1997 wait.bit
> -rw-r--r--   1 root     sys          3835 Dec 11  1997 warn.bit
>
> Note that dsmtca is setuid already.  Helpful?
>
> --
> 8<--------------------------------------->8
> Richard Shepherd (richards AT waikato.ac DOT nz)
> 8<--------------------------------------->8
>