user's password keeps getting lost

[Brad Marks]

Only one user keeps loosing its password every few days. Are there rules regarding what a password can/cannot contain? Currently, the password is "user"; too short?
Why does it work, but only for a short time.
Password ageing is not in effect.
Any way for root to see what the current password of a user is?
Thanx in advance!

[Rick Garland]

root can not see what the passwd of a user is unless some special tools are used. Example, can use crack but then that is dependent on crack being able to guess the passwd.

Is there another account will UID=0 that could be manipulating the passwd file? Is sudo in place that would give users the ability to execute commands as root?

Sounds like there is more than 1 root account

[Tim Malnati]

This sounds a bit odd. Are you using NIS by chance? There is no method available for root, the user, or anyone else from determining a password without some sort of cracking software. Four characters for a password length is far too short to be secure. Converting your system to 'trusted' will place some minimum standards that users must satisfy in order maintain minimum security standards. Also, what are the permissions that currently exist on /etc/passwd? If a user can write to it (a no-no), someone may potentially be nulling the password on the account in question.

[Brad Marks]

I've gone through /etc/passwd (permissions are "-r--r--r--") and found no other user with UID=0.
I don't know what "sudo" is, but am willing to bet that it is not in place.
We are not using NIS.

Anything further that I can look for?
Thanks again!

[Victor BERRIDGE]

You cannot stop a user change his passwd...
So one way to see what going on (since youre not trusted) is save somewhere safe, lets say at /etc/.save where perms= 700 root sys, /etc/passwd with its timestamp=>
cp -p option
And regularly compare you will sure see if the passwd has changed (2nd field), you can also go and see ~users/.sh_history to see if he didnt change his passwd...

[Brad Marks]

I guess I'll try that to see who/when is mucking about.
Thanks

[Victor BERRIDGE]

Good luck
Best regards
Victor

[Rita C Workman]

I didn't read all the previous messages...but I had someone like this once.

I changed the options on password, so that only 'superuser' or root could change it.
Then I set it and told them this....that way at least when they forgot it I could tell them what it was.

Just a thought,

[Brad Marks]

Rita,
How do I change the options on password to only allow 'superuser' or root to make changes? This sounds like the most iron-clad way of going about this.
Thanks for your input.