See Password History in Fedora 4
We are attempting to oust a sys admin and have asked him to give us the Superuser/root password, as well as all user names and passwords for all users.
Are intent is to reset passwords to prevent unwanted users getting on the box to sabotage data -especially him.
The sys admin responded that there was not a way to see passwords - and he wouldn't give us the superuser/root password. Is there not a way to see user & password history, as well as a way to see root password or reset it in order to reset other passwords?
We are pure Windows admins and know nothing about Linux. He did give us this desription of the server and OS:
"The main server on 1st floor is a Linux server running Fedora 4 kernel 2.6.14-1.1656_FC4. It has 512meg of memory, a 2.6gig processor and 2 raptor disk drives, RAID 0."
Urgent - Any assistance would be appreciated.
Are intent is to reset passwords to prevent unwanted users getting on the box to sabotage data -especially him.
The sys admin responded that there was not a way to see passwords - and he wouldn't give us the superuser/root password. Is there not a way to see user & password history, as well as a way to see root password or reset it in order to reset other passwords?
We are pure Windows admins and know nothing about Linux. He did give us this desription of the server and OS:
"The main server on 1st floor is a Linux server running Fedora 4 kernel 2.6.14-1.1656_FC4. It has 512meg of memory, a 2.6gig processor and 2 raptor disk drives, RAID 0."
Urgent - Any assistance would be appreciated.
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/22023129/How-to-break-root-password-in-Red-Hat-Linux-8-0.html
This is what I was talking about. It should work for you as well.
This is what I was talking about. It should work for you as well.
apart from the above, linux also offers a peculiar way of handling such events. you can read thru the above link to understand how to reset passwords.
you can do one more thing. you can copy the line 1 from the /etc/shadow which should ideally start with "root:xxxxxxxxxxxxxx:..." from a machine where you know of the root's password.
you can paste the same in /etc/shadow- as well for redundancy. and then try logging in as root with the password that you know of and it should still work.
if password is the only point of concern in a sabottage effort then this would help. what if the data is compromised???? having the password is no guarantee to security. please rethink your strategy. am voicing my concerns and not trying to advise. at the end of day it is your call...
goutham
you can do one more thing. you can copy the line 1 from the /etc/shadow which should ideally start with "root:xxxxxxxxxxxxxx:..." from a machine where you know of the root's password.
you can paste the same in /etc/shadow- as well for redundancy. and then try logging in as root with the password that you know of and it should still work.
if password is the only point of concern in a sabottage effort then this would help. what if the data is compromised???? having the password is no guarantee to security. please rethink your strategy. am voicing my concerns and not trying to advise. at the end of day it is your call...
goutham
If permissions are set up right, wouldn't the default permissions on /etc/shadow only allow root to edit it?
i was suggesting that they login into a single user mode or rescue mode and then carry out the operation. that ways you are default logged in as root and hence no requirement to know the previous password at all ;-)
goutham
goutham
Hi,
The thing is Linux encrypts the passwrows using a one-way crypt algorithm. So it i not possible to regain passwords. But this is not a new thing Windows uses a similar algorithm.
If there's risk of sabootage to your system there are several tools you can use. First of all you may introduce and Identity Manager suite in your IT department. With such a system you can change any'user's password via this system and notfrom the conventional methods. This will give you a consistent log of user Password events such as password changes, resets, unauthorized events etc. It is also possible to change all the passwords without you sys admin acceesess the system and you can escort him to the door if the need should arise :))
There are aosl commercial tools which can limit even the root users abilities over the system. These are called Access-Control products.
and lat but not leastt you need to have good backup procedures in case he deletes the filesystem in sabottage he would not achieve anything isnce you'd restore and continue from your backups in a short time.
Cheers,
K
The thing is Linux encrypts the passwrows using a one-way crypt algorithm. So it i not possible to regain passwords. But this is not a new thing Windows uses a similar algorithm.
If there's risk of sabootage to your system there are several tools you can use. First of all you may introduce and Identity Manager suite in your IT department. With such a system you can change any'user's password via this system and notfrom the conventional methods. This will give you a consistent log of user Password events such as password changes, resets, unauthorized events etc. It is also possible to change all the passwords without you sys admin acceesess the system and you can escort him to the door if the need should arise :))
There are aosl commercial tools which can limit even the root users abilities over the system. These are called Access-Control products.
and lat but not leastt you need to have good backup procedures in case he deletes the filesystem in sabottage he would not achieve anything isnce you'd restore and continue from your backups in a short time.
Cheers,
K
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Thank you kyle_in_taiwan and noci. We did take remove the servers, physically, from the floor and have them safely secured until we resolve this. I think kyle is right in that I had better get a Linux pro in here and evaluate and make sure it is secure before we put it back in production. I'll make sure these instructions are reviewed. I appreciate all the wise advice and instructions.
You can see them, it's just that they're encrypted so it'll do you no good. :D
>>Is there not a way to see user & password history, as well as a way to see root password or reset it in >>order to reset other passwords?
Not that I know of.
I do believe if you have physical acecss to the box, you can use a livecd to reset the root pass but I have never needed to nor done so.
Hopefully someone who has done it before can comment.