Clarification on /etc/passwd file entry

quintet · #1 (**permalink**) 09-28-2007

Hi,

I am working on a UNIX AIX system and all the entries in /etc/passwd file are in the following format..

root:!:0:0::/:/usr/bin/ksh

I have an idea abt each field, but I am confused abt the values in the second field.

If the value of the second filed is 'x' then it means the password is stored in /etc/shadow file.

* means you cant login using this id in unix login prompt

but what does the value '!' means?

and I checked, there is no /etc/shadow file in the system, so where the password is stored.

Yogesh Sawant · #2 (**permalink**) 09-28-2007

From the AIX documentation:

Code:

If a user ID has a password, then the password field will have an ! (exclamation point). If the user ID does not have a password, then the password field will have an * (asterisk). The encrypted passwords are stored in the /etc/security/passwd file.

quintet · #3 (**permalink**) 09-28-2007

Thanks Man... That really helped
Can you post the URL for AIX documentation?

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