On Thu, 10 Sep 1998, Harold Rodriguez wrote:
> Hi!
>
> Everyone probably already knows the answer to this except me, so I
> thought I'd ask. When I look into my /etc/passwd file, I can see my
> encrypted root and user password. But I also notice that there are other
> entries like ftp, operator, etc... (which have a '*' in front so I'm
> assuming they're shadowed). Why are these entries in the /etc/passwd
> file? Is it possible to log in as them? What happens if I delete them?
> Is it a good idea to change their passwords as root?
>
Actually, the * means you can't login as that user. This is done in order
to be able to run daemons (like the ftp server) as non-root, without
having to make a full user for them.
Frank
> Okay so I'm really curious, but I'd appreciate any help that anyone out
> there is willing to give.
>
> Thanks very much.
> - Harold.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> "Collar that Dormouse," the Queen shrieked out. "Behead that Dormouse!
> Turn that Dormouse out of court! Suppress him! Pinch him! Off with his
> whiskers!"
>
> - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: Chapter XI
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