NAME

chfn, chsh, passwd − change password database information

SYNOPSIS

passwd [ name ]

DESCRIPTION

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

When altering a password, the program prompts for the current 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 super-user may change a password; the owner must prove he knows the old password. 

Use yppasswd to change your password in the network yellow pages.  This will not affect your local password, or your password on any remote machines on which you have accounts. 

FILES

/etc/passwdThe file containing all of this information, non-NetInfo
/etc/shellsThe list of approved shells
/etc/yp/passwd

SEE ALSO

login(1), passwd(5), crypt(3), yppasswd(1), netinfo(5), lookupd(8)
Robert Morris and Ken Thompson, UNIX password security

BUGS

passwd will change a local password, but not a password in the network Yellow Pages.  Refer to yppasswd(1) for information on how to change a Yellow Pages password.  Shell and finger information cannot be changed in NetInfo using this command.

4th Berkeley Distribution  —  October 8, 1990