Shadow file entry question

[nmeyers-BigylZdZcsdmcu3hnIyYJQ at public.gmane.org (Nathan Meyers)]

On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 10:50:32AM -0500, Chandler, Scott wrote:
> We've got a system which is being audited for SOX compliance. The auditors are asking about entries in the shadow file. For the users haldaemon and messagebus, the password section contains a single x. Note, this is the shadow file, not the passwd file. Any idea what that x denotes?
> 
> haldaemon:x:14517:0:99999:7:::0
> messagebus:x:14517:0:99999:7:::0

The shadow file holds the actual (encrypted) passwords if you're using
shadow passwords. That "x" is a standin for the encrypted password;
because it's there, there is no valid password for those accounts and
they cannot do password-based login.

Nathan


> > Thanks, > Scott > > _______________________________________________
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