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	Wed, 24 Dec 1997 01:36:16 -0600 (CST)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 1997 01:36:15 -0600 (CST)
From: "Matthew D. Fuller" <fullermd@futuresouth.com>
To: Dean Hollister <dean@odyssey.apana.org.au>
cc: grcuerrier <grcuerrier@cnwl.igs.net>, freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: Lost root password
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On Wed, 24 Dec 1997, Dean Hollister wrote:

> On Tue, 23 Dec 1997, grcuerrier wrote:
> 
> > One of my techs entered a new root password, which he has forgotten.  Is
> > there any way a user with "wheel" access can reset the root password
> > without having to redo the whole server?
> 
> Have you tried rebooting, then at the 'boot:' prompt, type:
> 
> -s
> 
> This will run a root shell, and you should be able to change the root
> passwd. There is a way to disable the feature, I recall it being in
> rc.conf somewhere.
Nope.
/etc/ttys
This line:
console none                            unknown off insecure
If the last field is set to secure, you can startup a root shell by
booting single-user.
Set to insecure, you need to enter the root password on booting
single-user.
On a side note, I NEVER leave console secure; that's a HUGE security hole.
It's convenient when a problem like this pops up, but to be perfectly
frank, HOW do you change the ROOT password by ACCIDENT???

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