[SOLVED] Problem with passwd and shadow files

px87 · 08-16-2012, 05:52 PM

Hi all!

Yesterday I was working with a perl module to change users password, but I don't know what happened, now the default file to store/read passwords is 'passwd' file instead 'shadow' file.

How can I set the 'shadow' file as the default file to store/read passwords?

Thanks!

kbp · 08-16-2012, 06:56 PM

If you have the authconfig utility you can run:

Code:

authconfig --useshadow --update

I have to say that you shouldn't be running some perl module to set user passwords unless you know *exactly* what it does.

px87 · 08-16-2012, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbp

If you have the authconfig utility you can run:

Code:

authconfig --useshadow --update

I have to say that you shouldn't be running some perl module to set user passwords unless you know *exactly* what it does.

Hi kbp, thanks for your answer.

I don't have authconfig, I'm on Debian.

The perl module was working fine, but I don't know what happened.

Thanks!

kbp · 08-16-2012, 07:50 PM

The question we need to answer is "What happened?" .. can you give us the name of the module?

px87 · 08-16-2012, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbp

The question we need to answer is "What happened?" .. can you give us the name of the module?

The module's name is 'Unix::PasswdFile' and I initialized it like this:

Code:

my $pw  = new Unix::PasswdFile "/etc/shadow";

then:

Code:

$pw->passwd( $username, $pw->encpass($pass_new) );

Thanks.

kbp · 08-16-2012, 08:03 PM

I see no reference to shadow support in http://search.cpan.org/dist/Unix-Con.../PasswdFile.pm

Did you take a backup before you started playing?

px87 · 08-16-2012, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbp

I see no reference to shadow support in http://search.cpan.org/dist/Unix-Con.../PasswdFile.pm

Did you take a backup before you started playing?

You're right... I'm working with wrong module... sh****!!

I read other module reference that supports shadow.

If I install authconfig with 'alien'. Could it works?

And no, I don't have backup.

Thanks.

kbp · 08-16-2012, 08:49 PM

You don't need authconfig, you just need to fix the entries in your /etc/passwd file. *Theoretically* you may just need to fix the passord fields for any accounts you modified by replacing any content with an 'x', this tells shadow aware tools that the password is stored in /etc/shadow. Once complete perform a password change for any affected accounts.

px87 · 08-16-2012, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kbp

You don't need authconfig, you just need to fix the entries in your /etc/passwd file. *Theoretically* you may just need to fix the passord fields for any accounts you modified by replacing any content with an 'x', this tells shadow aware tools that the password is stored in /etc/shadow. Once complete perform a password change for any affected accounts.

kbp, thanks a lot for your help!

px87 · 08-16-2012, 10:13 PM

I solved my problem, I used the shadowconfig command with parameter 'on':

Code:

shadowconfig on

Thanks to kbp.