Hi.

When i execute
which passwdit is showing /usr/bin/passwd, eventhough i set my path as

PATH=/etc:$PATH

i just checked the permission for the passwd under /usr/bin

-r-sr-sr-x

what exactly happening? and what is that s signifies

Thanks.

are you root ot normal user ? are you sure that you set the $PATH in correct file ? /etc/bashrc or your home folder ?
or

Thanks for reply, i am a normal user and my shell in korn shell. I am working under SunOs5.9

Thanks.

Hi,
Here /etc/passwd is a file which has read-write access only root user.This file contains the encrypted password details.
The /usr/bin/passwd is the set-uid program,which enable normal users to accomplish tasks which would otherwise require privileged access.Whenever this program is run it will run with root user privilege.

Thus the passwd program allows normal users to change password,which requires ability to write to /etc/passwd file.


Thanks
Nagarajan Ganesan.

Thanks Nagaraj for your explanation

is there any situation we need to go for set uid? then what is the purpose of set gid?
clear me with some more examples

Thanks.

Please see the thread,

Unix File Permissions