user can't change user account passwd

rcmonroig · 11-09-2009, 09:31 PM

I created several user accounts on a remote LAMP server running fedora core 10. Users logon using ssh. Their accounts have been preset with a password and they need to change that password when they first log into the server. passwd is in the /usr/bin directory with rwxr-xr-x privileges. Users try to use passwd to change their passwod and get the following message:
passwd: Only root can specify a user name.

Shouldn't users be able to change their own password?

How can I get around this?

When I eliminate the user name in the command line, passwd asks for the current password and then the new password. After I type the new password the second time it displays the following information:
passwd: Authentication service cannot retrieve authentication info
Thanks,
Ron

Mr-Bisquit · 11-09-2009, 09:32 PM

You don't. It's called security. If your machine is compromised, you can lock the user account out with root.

Wim Sturkenboom · 11-09-2009, 09:42 PM

Yes, they are. What is the exact command that the user runs?

Code:

teboho@btd-techweb01:~$ passwd
Changing password for teboho
Old password:
Enter the new password (minimum of 5, maximum of 127 characters)
Please use a combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers.
New password: somepwd here
Re-enter new password: somepwd here
Password changed.
teboho@btd-techweb01:~$ exit

evo2 · 11-09-2009, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rcmonroig

passwd: Only root can specify a user name.

Shouldn't users be able to change their own password?

Yes, usually users should be able to change their own password. Are they calling passwd with some arguments perhaps? Are you able to change your password on this machine?

Evo2.