OLD Root password is still working after the "passwd" change

[HPquestion]

HP-UX 11i
Connected as root and did "passwd" to change the root password. It worked. New password and ols password both are working. Why pld password is still active?? Please help.

[A. Clay Stephenson]

While it is theoretically possible that two different plaintext passwords hash to the same value, it is so improbable that that can be ruled out.

What does your passwd entry in /etc/nsswitch.conf look like?

Is your system trusted, shadowed, or traditional?

[HPquestion]

The file /etc/nsswitch.conf doesn't exists.
How to find out if a system is trusted, shadowed, or traditional?

We have HP-UX 11i version 2 installed in integrity servers.

[Patrick Wallek]

If the system is trusted you will have a file /tcb/files/auth/r/root that contains information for the root user (encrypted password, etc.).

If the system is using shadow passwords then /etc/shadow will exist.

If neither of the above exist, then you will only have /etc/passwd and the encrypted passwords will be stored in /etc/passwd.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

Your system will not authenticate correctly until you have an /etc/nsswitch.conf file

There are several candiate files in etc

cd /etc
ls | grep nsswitch

Look at them and pick one that works for you.

cp it to nsswitch.conf

try again

SEP

[HPquestion]

We have /etc/passwd file only.So I guess we are traditional?

And these are the nsswitch files we have in the system.

nsswitch.compat nsswitch.files nsswitch.hp_defaults nsswitch.ldap nsswitch.nis nsswitch.nisplus

[V. Nyga]

Hi,

@SEP - I also don't have nsswitch.conf at my system, is it really necessary?
Can't it be that the password is too long?
I believe you can't use more than 8 characters - anything behind is ignored.
So if your old and your new passwd is identically in the first 8 characters, the system will accept both.

Volkmar

[V. Nyga]

Hmm - sorry, now I think it was the login length.
Do you have '/etc/default/security'?
Check it for restrictions.
See also:
http://forums1.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1050767

Or have you changed it in a NIS environment?

V.

[whiteknight]

HPquestion,

may i know what is new password and old password ? it is strange to take 2 new and old password. fishy :-)




WK

[HPquestion]

Thanks for all replies. Found that non trusted hash just ignore the characters after the 8th char. That is the reason my old password was also working.

[Aashique]

Hi,
If your old password and new password's first 8 character is same then the old password will also work.
like if your old password is : walkingalone
and new password is: walkingaroad

So for this way both pass will work. coz it will only check the first 8 characters.

Thanks & Regards

A. Aashique