[expert] Lost root password
Hi, I first installed Mandrake8.2 on an old Compaq Prolinea 575e a few months ago and I never finished configuring some things - like a firewall. I suspect that I was hacked into one evening, as I suddenly lost permission to various files and my root password was changed. I rebooted into single-user mode and reset the root password, but when I logged in normally, the new password didn't work. I've since re-installed Mandrake8.2, but the root password that I setup during the installation doesn't work when I'm logged in. It will work, however, if I log in as myself and then 'su'. Any ideas of how I can log in as root? Is something corrupted in my BIOS or on my hard drive? Thanks, Dan Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [expert] Lost root password
Ok if the box isn't on the net (Do this only if the box isn't on the net or is well protected by a firewall.) boot from the rescue disk. chose the option to mount all partitions chose the option to go to console. cd /mnt/etc (this is the etc directory for your hdd) vi password. You will see a line that looks like this. root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash remove the x so that it looks like root::0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash Then wq the file and vi shadow (BTW you can use whatever editor you want.) make the first line for root look like root (four colons) save this remove the cd and reboot. Now when your reboot root will NOT have a password (this is why you don't do this connected to the net *grin* ) Normally... unless something like msec is helping you. *grin* you will be able to set a new root password. However before you do ... take a look around. Maybe run chkrootkit against the box. If you have been cracked... do an rm -Rf * (figuratively) in / and re-install. Make sure you have the installer format all (yes even home) partitions to wipe out whatever the cracker left behind. James On Tue, 2002-10-08 at 12:05, Dan Iseminger wrote: > Hi, > I first installed Mandrake8.2 on an old Compaq Prolinea 575e a few months > ago and I never finished configuring some things - like a firewall. I suspect > that I was hacked into one evening, as I suddenly lost permission to various > files and my root password was changed. > I rebooted into single-user mode and reset the root password, but when I > logged in normally, the new password didn't work. I've since re-installed > Mandrake8.2, but the root password that I setup during the installation doesn't > work when I'm logged in. It will work, however, if I log in as myself and then > 'su'. > Any ideas of how I can log in as root? Is something corrupted in my BIOS > or on my hard drive? > > Thanks, > > Dan > > > > > > > Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? > Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
Re: [expert] Lost root password
Isn't there an msec setting that will prevent you from logging in directly as root? If that's the case, try msec with a lower setting (like 3). -Jason On Tuesday 08 October 2002 07:05 pm, James Sparenberg wrote: > Ok if the box isn't on the net (Do this only if the box isn't on the > net or is well protected by a firewall.) > > > boot from the rescue disk. > > chose the option to mount all partitions > > chose the option to go to console. > > cd /mnt/etc > (this is the etc directory for your hdd) > > vi password. You will see a line that looks like this. > > root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash > > remove the x so that it looks like > > root::0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash > > Then wq the file and vi shadow (BTW you can use whatever editor you > want.) > > make the first line for root look like root (four colons) > > save this remove the cd and reboot. > > Now when your reboot root will NOT have a password (this is why you > don't do this connected to the net *grin* ) > > Normally... unless something like msec is helping you. *grin* you will > be able to set a new root password. However before you do ... take a > look around. Maybe run chkrootkit against the box. If you have been > cracked... do an rm -Rf * (figuratively) in / and re-install. Make sure > you have the installer format all (yes even home) partitions to wipe out > whatever the cracker left behind. > > James > > On Tue, 2002-10-08 at 12:05, Dan Iseminger wrote: > > Hi, > > I first installed Mandrake8.2 on an old Compaq Prolinea 575e a few > > months ago and I never finished configuring some things - like a > > firewall. I suspect that I was hacked into one evening, as I suddenly > > lost permission to various files and my root password was changed. > > I rebooted into single-user mode and reset the root password, but > > when I logged in normally, the new password didn't work. I've since > > re-installed Mandrake8.2, but the root password that I setup during the > > installation doesn't work when I'm logged in. It will work, however, if > > I log in as myself and then 'su'. > > Any ideas of how I can log in as root? Is something corrupted in my > > BIOS or on my hard drive? > > > > Thanks, > > > > Dan > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? > > Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com -- = The shortest unit of time in the multiverse is the New York Second, defined as the period of time between the traffic lights turning green and the cab behind you honking. (Lords and Ladies) Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
