17 comment

1. Hi,

   best would be to edit the script:

   send -- "passwd $user\r"

   1	send -- "passwd $user\r"

   to

   send -- "LC_ALL=C passwd $user\r"

   1	send -- "LC_ALL=C passwd $user\r"

   The script is universally usable after that change. Otherwise the script wont run for german e.g. I edited, and it works perfectly for ubuntu.

   Edited by Admin: Added pre tags to the code.

2. chage -d 1 user_name —> with this you need to change your password every day force by the root-

3. Without „set timeout -1“ this script working well, you have just to wait some seconds.

4. Ok, I’m trying to create a script that crontab will run every day that changes root pass to a random 20 digit string. (obxnux, I think we’re wanting something similar) I have tried chpasswd, but it doesn’t work, sets root pwd to nill. (don’t worry, I’ve rectified that before this post) My script’s at the end, what am I doing wrong??

   #!/bin/bash
   iam=$(whoami)
   pass=> /root/pass
   cat /root/pass | chpasswd
   rm -f /root/pass
   else
   sudo echo root:$pass >> /root/pass
   sudo cat /root/pass | chpasswd
   sudo rm -f /root/pass
   fi
   exit 0 #the only way you should ever exit script

   1. THAT is not my script?? Lemme try again…

      #!/bin/bash
      iam=$(whoami)
      pass=> /root/pass
      cat /root/pass | chpasswd
      rm -f /root/pass
      else
      sudo echo root:$pass >> /root/pass
      sudo cat /root/pass | chpasswd
      sudo rm -f /root/pass
      fi
      exit 0

      1. I’m begining to think there’s something wrong here, under the “iam” line is supposed to be one that assigns a random 20 digit phrase to $pass?? why won’t it post correctly?
         #!/bin/bash
         iam=$(whoami)
         pass=> /root/pass
         cat /root/pass | chpasswd
         rm -f /root/pass
         else
         sudo echo root:$pass >> /root/pass
         sudo cat /root/pass | chpasswd
         sudo rm -f /root/pass
         fi
         exit 0

5. Hi, I would like to know how can I make a script for change root password using crontab. Thank you

6. Fred,
   so executing history -c at the end would not help? Checked on my machine and it works.

7. All of these are bad ideas. You do not want your password being processed via the shell. Most shells keep a history file of commands executed – and this will show up in them. In general, you do not want your password saved in cleartext anywhere, regardless of file system controls.

   1. The password command doesn’t store the information in clear text. Running a history command will not return with:

      17: passwd 123456

      The user can’t even see if they’re typing in the password correctly so really the only way someone could get the password is if they were watching you type it in and you were a somewhat slow and “distinguished” typist.

8. chpasswd is your friend:
   echo username:password | chpasswd

   You can even do
   cat passlist.txt | chpasswd
   where passlist.txt is a newline delimited list of username:password pairs.

   1. Thanks!!
      Worked for me.

      1. THANKS ! WORKS HERE 2

         1. Epic Win!!!
            Works here 3
            Thanx

            1. Doesnt work here 1 :(

               It gave the following error :
               echo one:different | chpasswd ( “one” is username & “different” is the new password i wish to give it )
               Changing password for one.
               chpasswd: (user one) pam_chauthtok() failed, error:
               Authentication token manipulation error
               chpasswd: (line 1, user one) password not changed

               Pls help ….

9. Um, yea Tamilan – that doesn’t actually work. Did you try it yourself? All it does on my machine is remove a shell from the test user and not change the password.
   The problem I’m running into with the above script is that it isn’t properly returning to the cli when done. In fact it is a pain in the ass to run within another script.

10. Long story short.

    echo $password | /usr/bin/passwd –stdin user1

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