passwd

[Indrajit Bhagat]

We have default read-read-read permission on /etc/passwd.

# pwd
/etc
# ll passwd
-r--r--r-- 1 root sys 3234 Aug 13 19:48 passwd


Then how an individual user or root is able to change the passwd.

[Dennis Handly · Accepted solution]

Because passwd(1) is setuid and root can do anything.

[Dennis Handly]

This is a duplicate of your April thread and will be deleted. Please reply in the following thread:
http://forums.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1218933

[Vishu]

hi,
what you are asking is passwd(4), but passwd(1) is havind setuid, so root permissions will change the things for you.

[SKR_1]

root is the owner of the file , root is also an super user, so it can do any permissions.

Also any user is the owner of some file, it can set any permissions to that file.

Thanks

SKR