who the %^#$ is messing with /etc/passwd ??

[Bill Crawford]

On Thursday 25 September 2008 12:41:13 Brian Millett wrote:

> So the password field has changed from x to *  ????
>
> I know that that means look in /etc/shadow for the password, but what
> inconsistancy will the older, established users find ??

'x' means look in /etc/shadow, '*' is one of several ways of indicating "no 
password" as in you can't log in, rather than "blank password" which lets all 
log in without one. The .rpmnew is the "unconverted" form, if you run pwunconv 
you'll see the same it /etc/passwd.