Forgotten Passwords - Revision history

Rpeters at 22:52, 12 September 2016

2016-09-12T22:52:53Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:52, 12 September 2016
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	#execute password command to change password for user "fred"		#execute password command to change password for user "fred"
	#<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>		#<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>
			#return to booted environment

			#<nowiki># exit</nowiki>
			#safely unmount installed system
			#<nowiki># umount /mnt</nowiki>
			#if running from installed OS, then '''logout''' from root account

	== Physical Security ==		== Physical Security ==

Rpeters at 22:47, 12 September 2016

2016-09-12T22:47:37Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:47, 12 September 2016
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	#<nowiki># su fred</nowiki>		#<nowiki># su fred</nowiki>
	#execute password command to change password for user "fred"		#execute password command to change password for user "fred"
	<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>		#<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>
			#'''logout''' from root account
			#<nowiki>$ exit</nowiki>
			#<nowiki># exit</nowiki>
			#<nowiki>$</nowiki>

	== Root Password ==		== Root Password ==

Rpeters: added section re physical security

2016-09-12T22:44:27Z

added section re physical security

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:44, 12 September 2016
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	#execute password command to change password for user "fred"		#execute password command to change password for user "fred"
	#<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>		#<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>


			== Physical Security ==
			It will be seen from the above that any password could be changed on a computer to which physical access is obtained. Any unencrypted '''data''' could then be retrieved from such computer. It is therefore essential to:
			*prevent unwanted physical access to working computers
			*securely erase SSD/HDD storage on computers sent for disposal
			*physically destroy or securely erase unwanted removable media such as floppies, USB, SD, CD/DVD

Rpeters: added password change procedures

2016-09-12T22:37:08Z

added password change procedures

New page

== User Passwords ==
User passwords can be reset as follows:
#log in as "root"
#switch to user account, eg for user "fred"
#<nowiki># su fred</nowiki>
#execute password command to change password for user "fred"
<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>

== Root Password ==
Root password can be reset only via booting another Linux on the same computer - either:
*another installed Linux
*a utility USB/CD booted on the computer - these generally run from the root account
#mount the partition containing the root filesystem of the installation for which password reset is required - eg for /dev/sda10
#<nowiki># mount /dev/sda10 /mnt</nowiki>
#change to the mounted partition
#<nowiki># chroot /mnt</nowiki>
#execute password command to change password for user "fred"
#<nowiki>$ passwd</nowiki>