NAME

passwd − change login password

SYNTAX

passwd [ name ]

DESCRIPTION

The passwd command changes or installs a password associated with the user name (your own name by default). 

The program prompts for the old password and then for the new one.  The caller must supply both.  The new password must be typed twice, to forestall mistakes. 

New passwords must be at least four characters long if they use a sufficiently rich alphabet and at least six characters long if monocase.  These rules are relaxed if you are insistent enough. 

Only the owner of the name or the superuser may change a password; the owner must prove he knows the old password. 

RESTRICTION

The passwd command will not change your password if your login entry is served by the yellow pages (YP) since the /etc/passwd file is referenced and not the yp map.  Refer to yppasswd(1yp) for more information.

FILES

/etc/passwd

SEE ALSO

login(1), yppasswd(1yp), crypt(3), passwd(5yp)
"Password Security: A Case History," ULTRIX-32 Supplementary Documents,
Vol III:System Manager