Setting a password that never expires can be useful in certain scenarios, especially for user accounts with administrative privileges or for accounts that are used for automated tasks on a Linux system. By configuring the password to never expire, you can ensure uninterrupted access and avoid the hassle of regularly changing passwords. In this tutorial, we will go through the steps to set a password that never expires on Linux.
Step 1: Open the terminal on your Linux system. You can do this by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for "Terminal" in the applications menu.
Step 2: In the terminal, type the following command to open the user settings configuration file:
"`
sudo visudo
"`
This command will open the file in the default text editor with root privileges.
Step 3: Once the configuration file is opened, use the arrow keys to navigate to the line that starts with "Defaults."
Step 4: Append the following text to the end of the line:
"`
, passwd_tries=0
"`
This line should now read something like:
"`
Defaults env_reset, mail_badpass, passwd_tries=0
"`
Step 5: Save the changes to the file and exit the text editor. In most cases, you can do this by pressing Ctrl+X, followed by Y, and then Enter.
Step 6: Finally, restart your Linux system for the changes to take effect. You can do this by typing the following command in the terminal and pressing Enter:
"`
sudo reboot
"`
After your Linux system restarts, the password for the user account will be set to never expire.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 1. Provides uninterrupted access to user accounts with administrative privileges. | 1. May compromise security if used for non-administrative user accounts. |
| 2. Useful for accounts used for automated tasks, avoiding the need for frequent password changes. | 2. Increases the risk of unauthorized access if the system is compromised. |
| 3. Saves time and effort by eliminating the need for password changes. | 3. Contrary to common security practices that recommend regular password updates. |
Setting a password that never expires on Linux can be advantageous in specific circumstances. However, it’s important to consider the potential risks and ensure that such configurations are implemented with caution, especially for non-administrative user accounts.
Video Tutorial:How to set user expiry date in Linux?
What command can be used to set passwords to expire?
To set passwords to expire, you can use the following command:
1. For Windows operating systems:
– Open the Command Prompt by pressing Windows Key + R, typing "cmd", and clicking on "OK."
– Use the "net accounts" command to view and modify account policies.
– To set the maximum password age, use the "net accounts /maxpwage:
2. For Linux operating systems:
– Open the Terminal.
– Use the "chage" command to modify user password aging or expiry information.
– To set the password expiration date, use the "chage -M
3. For macOS:
– Open the Terminal.
– Use the "pwpolicy" command to modify password policies provided by the Open Directory server.
– To set the password expiration policy, use the "pwpolicy -setaccountpolicies" command with the necessary options and parameters. For example, "pwpolicy -setaccountpolicies ‘ExpirationDatePolicy=30days'" sets the password expiration to 30 days.
Remember, when setting passwords to expire, it is important to strike a balance between security and user convenience. Regular password changes can enhance security, but too frequent password expirations may lead to weaker passwords or user resistance.
How to get last login times in Linux?
To get the last login times in Linux, you can use the `last` command. Here’s the process:
1. Open a terminal: Launch the terminal application on your Linux distribution. You can usually find it in the applications menu or by searching for "terminal."
2. Run the `last` command: In the terminal, type `last` and press Enter. This command will display a list of the most recent user logins, including the login time, duration, and terminal used.
3. Filter the results (optional): The `last` command may produce a lengthy list of login records, depending on the system’s activity. If you’re interested in a specific user, you can filter the results by adding the username as an argument. For example, to view the login history for the user "john," you can execute `last john`.
4. Interpret the output: The `last` command will present you with a table that includes the user login, terminal, date, and time. Each row represents a separate login session. The "system boot" entry indicates the time at which the system was started up.
5. Understand the fields: The fields shown in the output include the user (or system boot), terminal, date, and time of login, as well as the duration of the session. The terminal column indicates how the login session was established, whether through the physical console (tty) or a remote connection (pts).
By utilizing the `last` command in Linux, you can retrieve essential information about previous user logins without the need for any additional tools or configurations.
How do I change the expiration date in Linux?
In Linux, changing the expiration date involves modifying the password expiration settings for a user. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Open a terminal window on your Linux system.
2. Log in as the root user or use the sudo command to gain administrative privileges.
3. Use the `chage` command followed by the username to modify the password expiration settings. For example, to change the expiration date for a user named "john," you can use the following command:
"`
chage -E 2023-12-31 john
"`
This sets the user’s account to expire on December 31, 2023.
4. You can also specify the expiration date in the number of days since January 1, 1970, by using the `chage -E` option with a numeric value. For example, to set the expiration date 365 days from the current date, you can run:
"`
chage -E $(date -d "+365 days" +’%s’) john
"`
5. After executing the command successfully, the user’s password expiration date will be updated accordingly.
Remember to replace "john" with the actual username for which you want to change the expiration date.
It’s essential to manage user account expirations carefully for security and administrative purposes.
How do I give permanent root access in Linux?
In Linux, granting permanent root access is a critical process that involves modifying system files and should be approached with caution. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to give permanent root access in Linux:
1. Log in as the administrative user: Before making any changes, ensure you are logged in as an administrative user with sudo or root privileges.
2. Open the terminal: To begin, open the terminal application on your Linux distribution. You can usually find it in the applications menu or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T.
3. Access the sudoers file: The sudoers file determines which users have permission to use the sudo command and gain root access. To edit this file, enter the following command:
"`
sudo visudo
"`
4. Edit the sudoers file: The previous command will open the sudoers file in the default text editor. Look for the line that begins with `%sudo` or `%admin` (depending on your Linux distribution). This line specifies the sudo group and which users are part of it. By default, members of this group are allowed to use the sudo command.
"`
%sudo ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL
"`
5. Grant root access to a user: To allow a specific user to have permanent root access, you need to add their username to the sudoers file. Insert the following line below the `%sudo` line, replacing "username" with the actual username:
"`
username ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL
"`
6. Save and exit: After adding the line, save the changes to the sudoers file and exit the text editor.
7. Verify root access: To confirm that root access has been granted to the user, open a new terminal window and try running a command that requires root privileges using the sudo command. For example, you can try:
"`
sudo apt update
"`
8. Enter user’s password: Upon executing the sudo command, you will be prompted to enter the user’s password. After providing the correct password, the command should run with root privileges.
Remember to exercise caution when granting root access to users. Only give this level of access to trusted individuals who truly require it for specific administrative tasks.
Why are passwords set to expire?
Passwords are typically set to expire for several important reasons:
1. Security: Passwords are an essential part of protecting our sensitive information. By setting them to expire, it reduces the risk of unauthorized access to accounts. If a password is compromised, for example through a data breach, setting an expiration date ensures that the compromised password won’t be valid forever.
2. Mitigating the impact of password leaks: In today’s digital age, data breaches are unfortunately common. When a breach occurs, hackers may get access to user credentials, including passwords. By expiring passwords, organizations can mitigate the potential damage caused by such breaches. If passwords are regularly changed, it becomes more difficult for attackers to exploit stolen credentials for an extended period.
3. Encouraging stronger and unique passwords: Many people have a tendency to reuse passwords across multiple accounts or choose weak passwords that are easy to guess. By setting passwords to expire, users are forced to regularly select new passwords. This nudges them towards adopting stronger and more unique combinations, which are harder to crack.
4. Ensuring ongoing access control: Password expiration helps organizations ensure ongoing access control. Policies that enforce regular password changes enable them to verify that users are still authorized to access certain systems or resources. This becomes particularly important when employees leave the organization or change roles, as their access rights may need to be adjusted.
5. Compliance requirements: In certain industries or for organizations handling sensitive information, password expiration is mandated by regulatory bodies or compliance standards. These requirements may be set to ensure the organization’s adherence to security best practices and protect against potential data breaches.
By setting passwords to expire, organizations and individuals aim to proactively enhance security, limit the impact of credential leaks, promote better password hygiene, maintain access control, and meet regulatory requirements. It’s crucial for users to take password expiration seriously and follow best practices when creating new passwords to ensure the ongoing protection of their personal data and sensitive information.
Does root password expire in Linux?
In Linux, the root password does not typically expire by default. However, it is considered a good security practice to enforce password expiration policies, even for the root account. This helps ensure that strong passwords are regularly updated and reduces the risk of unauthorized access.
To enable password expiration for the root account in Linux, you can follow these steps:
1. Open a terminal or console as the root user or use the "su" command to switch to the root user.
2. Use the "chage" command followed by the "-M" flag to set the maximum number of days a password is valid. For example, to set the password expiration for root to 90 days, you can run: `chage -M 90 root`
3. Additionally, you can set the minimum number of days between password changes using the "-m" flag. For instance, to set a minimum password change period of 7 days, you can run: `chage -m 7 root`
4. Finally, you can enforce password expiration by setting a specific date for the root password to expire. Use the "-E" flag followed by the expiration date in the format YYYY-MM-DD. For example, to set the root password to expire on December 31, 2024: `chage -E 2024-12-31 root`
By implementing these steps, you can enhance the security of your Linux system by ensuring that the root password expires periodically, prompting users to update it regularly and reduce the risk of unauthorized access to the root account.