change root password
Just making sure…I want to update the root account password. I know the password, I just want to change it.
I can do this directly using passwd, yes? Or must I use the Linode "reset root password" feature for any particular reason?
Thank you!
4 Replies
✓ Best Answer
stevewi:~ $ sudo passwd root
Password: <<-- this is the password for 'sudo'
Changing local password for root
New Password: <<-- new password for 'root'
Retype New Password: <<-- confirm new password for 'root'
If the responses asking for the new password don't match, the password will not be changed.
-- sw
@stevewi - thank you. confirmed - on multiple nodes - that manual root passwd change seems to be fine with higher-level Linode services.
kinda wonder, though, about the whole "reset root password" flow in the Linode portal. feels ominously like there is a backdoor.
anyway, many thanks!
kinda wonder, though, about the whole "reset root password" flow in the Linode portal. feels ominously like there is a backdoor.
That's there if you forget the root password. It probably only works if your Linode is running Linux so if you're using Windoze or some other Unix-derived/-like OS, it probably won't work.
-- sw
_Brian
Linode Staff
As you've already discovered, resetting your root password with passwd is totally fine and won't harm anything. The way root password resets work is your Linode's host mounts its disk and overwrites the password for root — that's it! If you happened to find an attack vector there I'm sure our security team would love to hear about it.
@stevewi your statement is accurate. In order for the host to reset the root password, the Linode must be Linux based and the host has to be able to mount the disk (unencrypted ext filesystem).