passwd file corrupted


 
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Operating Systems HP-UX passwd file corrupted
# 1  
Old 02-28-2005
Error passwd file corrupted

Good Day

Our HP box was hacked and the passwd file has been altered,there are only 2 user accounts active,and these dont have any administrative rights.I need to edit the passwd file to correct the su and root entries.
Does any body have any suggestions as to how i can do this with out the root account (maybe a "live cd" to edit the files??)

Thank you
# 2  
Old 02-28-2005
Recovery Tape

If you have a recovery tape, this would now be usefull. Boot from the tape and restore the passwd file, then boot again.
# 3  
Old 02-28-2005
Passwd edit

Thx for the reply, but this is where my problems start.

Firstly i try a tape recovery,once it gets to a point where i can select the files to recover it fails ie
ERROR : Tar: blocksize =0;broken pipe
ERROR: File: /usr/ccs not found
ERROR: file: /usr/obam not found and it carries on with further errors

Secondly i try a DVD recovery and boot from the DVD,but when i try to load files and dependencies, it tells me the file system is full.
That is I try to edit the passwd file , vi isnt loaded, so I add the file to the list and it trys to add the files to the system so i can edit the passwd file.But returns an error that the file system is full, so basically i am $##@@ right now.

So i was thinking of another tool that i could use to edit the passwd file ? Smilie
# 4  
Old 02-28-2005
Use the shell itself to edit the passwd file:
echo "fixup::0:0::/:/usr/bin/ksh" >> /etc/passwd
then reboot and login as fixup to finish the job.

Also this link may be helpful: Expert Recovery Using the Core Media
# 5  
Old 03-01-2005
passwd recovery

Thx, I logged in a as the SU and edited the /etc/passwd

cheers

Last edited by cantona7; 03-01-2005 at 06:55 AM..
# 6  
Old 03-01-2005
Quote:
Originally Posted by cantona7
Thx but this really wont help as it writes to the /etc/passwd file in the ramdisk, Smilie
So use:
echo "fixup::0:0::/:/usr/bin/ksh" >> /mnt/etc/passwd

or whatever. Your post implied that lack of vi was your problem. This sidesteps that.
# 7  
Old 03-17-2005
more lost password problems

Hi,

I am having the same problems with my root password. I reset it. I tested it in another shell and had no problems. It worked great.

Now it doesn't. I've tried rebooting in the off chance that would reset something, but no luck. The weird thing is that I changed the passwords for other users as well and have acheived the same results.

I have tried logging in via single user mode, but after i get to the ISL prompt and type "hpux -is", I am prompted for a username and password.

Any suggestions are greatly appeciated. Thanks In Advance.
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