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UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Print user password

 
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# 1  
Old 09-06-2010
Print user password
Hi everyone.
I have root acces to an Ubuntu machine.
This machine have several users so, being root, I can access to their account without knowing their password, simply using
Code:
sudo su user

But I need to know the password of a specific user, so in this situation, is there a technique to know what is the user password?
# 2  
Old 09-06-2010
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Unless they have a very very simple password, no.

UNIX does not save the passwords in plain text for obvious security reasons, but hashes them using a salt. For authentications the supplied password is also hashed, and the hashes are compared. If it's a very simple password one could use John the Ripper to crack it, but that's about it. Short of just asking the user that is.
# 3  
Old 09-06-2010
Ok, thank you for the explanation!
# 4  
Old 09-08-2010
May I do an answer here? If you can be root, then you have access to everything! All files and folders of ALL users. Why to want to know others' passwds?
 
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