@Alex .With a stolen one, formatting would be the best option. mine is on a desktop. On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:45 PM, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists@gmail.com>wrote:

I lost my Ubuntu laptop recently, hope you are not trying to hack into it :( on a light note....

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM, Joshua Mwendwa<jtmwendwa@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Good People,

I forgot my Ubuntu login Username and Password.Any ideas of how to recover them?

Thanks in advance.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

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Alternative 1: Use john the ripper if you used a weak password e.g. a dictionary word Alternative 2.: Use the Live CD to boot, access your Ubuntu FS e.g. sudo mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1, then sudo vi /mnt/hda1/etc/passwd and delete the shadow cipher 2009/8/24 Joshua Mwendwa <jtmwendwa@gmail.com>

@Alex .With a stolen one, formatting would be the best option. mine is on a desktop.

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:45 PM, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists@gmail.com>wrote:

...

I lost my Ubuntu laptop recently, hope you are not trying to hack into it :( on a light note....

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM, Joshua Mwendwa<jtmwendwa@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Good People,

I forgot my Ubuntu login Username and Password.Any ideas of how to recover them?

Thanks in advance.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

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-- שִׁמְעוֹן

Yah.. 'twas the shadow file, not passwd.. But you can also skin your cat like this also.. [looks safer] http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/linux/reset-your-ubuntu-password-easily-from-... :-) 2009/8/24 nick muttai <nmuttai@gmail.com>

Get a live CD, run it and then edit */etc/shadow* * * gksudo gedit /etc/shadow* *

Look for your username, it will look something like this: (xxxxxx)

*pulse:*:13991:0:99999:7::: messagebus:*:13991:0:99999:7::: avahi:*:13991:0:99999:7::: polkituser:*:13991:0:99999:7::: haldaemon:*:13991:0:99999:7::: xxxxxx:**$1$r6e0NL0V$UZpoM8mqXuJHX44refu2q/**:14081:0:99999:7::: sshd:*:14089:0:99999:7::: rancid:$1$ff8wYmnG$ir9J01rV7B.wNW6DW2zb2.:14182:0:99999:7:::*

Delete the hashed password leaving the 2 semi-colons. Save the file and boot your Ubuntu, the user will have no password, so you can reset it. You can do the same for root. Alternatively, boot into single user mode and edit the same file using vi.

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:48 PM, Joshua Mwendwa <jtmwendwa@gmail.com>wrote:

...

@Alex .With a stolen one, formatting would be the best option. mine is on a desktop.

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:45 PM, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists@gmail.com>wrote:

...

I lost my Ubuntu laptop recently, hope you are not trying to hack into it :( on a light note....

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM, Joshua Mwendwa<jtmwendwa@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Good People,

I forgot my Ubuntu login Username and Password.Any ideas of how to recover them?

Thanks in advance.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

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-- Mwafrika

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-- שִׁמְעוֹן

Possible to do the same in Ubuntu. Log in to runlevel one and type passwd $YourUsernameHere$ It'll then prompt you to enter your new password for that account... 2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM, Joshua Mwendwa <jtmwendwa@gmail.com>wrote:

...

Good People,

I forgot my Ubuntu login Username and Password.Any ideas of how to recover them?

I like this question.

On FreeBSD, I'd do the following:

1. boot to single user mode and enter the shell. By this, you become root! 2. mount the root partition 3. change the password for any user I like.

For Linux, I guess you can boot off the install media (CD/DVD) and enter some recovery console. It's called emergency something....something... I don't quite remember well but it's an option on the install media. Just "open" your eyes when booting off the CD/DVD ;-)

-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube

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-- שִׁמְעוֹן

I just love skunkers! You guyz are nerdy!! Am goin to try this ryt now coz i have been formatting my pals' machines when they lose passwords...... On 8/24/09, nyarotho kennedy <kenyarotho@gmail.com> wrote:

I just love skunkers! You guyz are nerdy!! Am goin to try this ryt now coz i have been formatting my pals' machines when they lose passwords......

On 8/24/09, MotoBaridi <motobaridi@gmail.com> wrote:

...

1: Turn your computer on. 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. 3. Press e for edit. 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if not careful! 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. 9. Type in reboot. MOST IMPORTANTLY 10. Try not to forget your password again

------------------------------ <MotoBaridi, drinking upstream since 1981> ------------------------------ T: +254 722 296 184 , +254 732 296 654 E: motobaridi@motobaridi.com ==================================================

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 3:41 PM, Joshua Mwendwa <jtmwendwa@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Good People,

I forgot my Ubuntu login Username and Password.Any ideas of how to recover them?

Thanks in advance.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- People should know when they are conquered.

-- People should know when they are conquered.

Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root passwd for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them). Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur username. Ok easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall see the users ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you see fit. But as warned remember you are full root. Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you administer all servers. Cheerz Themburu 2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi <motobaridi@gmail.com> wrote:

...

1: Turn your computer on. 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. 3. Press e for edit. 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if not careful! 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. 9. Type in reboot. MOST IMPORTANTLY 10. Try not to forget your password again

So long, but more like what we have on *BSD.

-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube

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-- Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried.

@Motobaridi's solution, doesn't it mean that you can access any *nix machine that boots "normally" as long as you have physical access to it? 2009/8/24 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>

Motobaridi's option works all the time. Well, almost all. Had a problem with a machine with pam authentication and the pam was broken. Dependency problem ... it was not funny

On 8/24/09, George Njoroge <themburu@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root passwd for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them). Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur username. Ok easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall see the users ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you see fit. But as warned remember you are full root. Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you administer all servers. Cheerz Themburu

2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>

...

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi <motobaridi@gmail.com>

wrote:

...

...

1: Turn your computer on. 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. 3. Press e for edit. 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if not careful! 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. 9. Type in reboot. MOST IMPORTANTLY 10. Try not to forget your password again

So long, but more like what we have on *BSD.

-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Regards, Alex If the grass looks greener on the other side, most probably the water bill is higher too

After reading this thread, <shudder> linux is no more secure than whine-dows at the default install. </shudder> On 8/24/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

Yeah!! @ Lawi but that's why there exists Boot Loader Passwords (like Grub passwords) and Computer BIOS passwords.

Use them for maximum security.Without them anyone can access any *NIX Systems (Windows too) provided they can reboot it!!!Max it further by encrypting the data just in case somebody snatched the drive(s) .Donno how many around have time for all these...

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

2009/8/24 Alex Ngatia <alex.ngatia@gmail.com>

...

@Motobaridi's solution, doesn't it mean that you can access any *nix machine that boots "normally" as long as you have physical access to it?

2009/8/24 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>

Motobaridi's option works all the time. Well, almost all. Had a

...

problem with a machine with pam authentication and the pam was broken. Dependency problem ... it was not funny

On 8/24/09, George Njoroge <themburu@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root passwd for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them). Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur username. Ok easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall see the users ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you see fit. But as warned remember you are full root. Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you administer all servers. Cheerz Themburu

2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>

...

On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi <motobaridi@gmail.com>

wrote:

...

...

1: Turn your computer on. 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. 3. Press e for edit. 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if not careful! 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. 9. Type in reboot. MOST IMPORTANTLY 10. Try not to forget your password again

So long, but more like what we have on *BSD.

-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." -- Lucky Dube

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Regards,

Alex

If the grass looks greener on the other side, most probably the water bill is higher too

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Its Possible! http://www.itspossible.afraha.com Collins Areba Omwoyo +254 735 824872 / +254 720 516758 arebacollins[at]gmail[dot]com

Technically speaking, its easier to hack into a linux box with physical access to the machine. Hdd and bios passwd are os independent. On 8/25/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 1:45 PM, Areba Collins <arebacollins@gmail.com>wrote:

...

After reading this thread,

<shudder> linux is no more secure than whine-dows at the default install. </shudder>

Hi Areba,

That's a very wrong conclusion. The issues under this thread assumed that the 'intruder' has physical access to system to the point of rebooting it.

Your statement above simply implies that a person carrying a Gun is no more secure than a person carrying a Rungu just because all of them can be snatched away.Quite a wrong assumption here.

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

...

On 8/24/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Yeah!! @ Lawi but that's why there exists Boot Loader Passwords (like Grub passwords) and Computer BIOS passwords.

Use them for maximum security.Without them anyone can access any *NIX Systems (Windows too) provided they can reboot it!!!Max it further by encrypting the data just in case somebody snatched the drive(s) .Donno how many around have time for all these...

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

2009/8/24 Alex Ngatia <alex.ngatia@gmail.com>

...

@Motobaridi's solution, doesn't it mean that you can access any *nix machine that boots "normally" as long as you have physical access to it?

2009/8/24 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>

Motobaridi's option works all the time. Well, almost all. Had a

...

problem with a machine with pam authentication and the pam was broken. Dependency problem ... it was not funny

On 8/24/09, George Njoroge <themburu@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root passwd for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them). Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur username. Ok easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall see the users ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you see fit. But as warned remember you are full root. Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you administer all servers. Cheerz Themburu

2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com>

> > On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi <motobaridi@gmail.com> wrote: > >> 1: Turn your computer on. >> 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. >> 3. Press e for edit. >> 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e >> 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash >> 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. >> 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* >> *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if >> not >> careful! >> 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. >> 9. Type in reboot. >> MOST IMPORTANTLY >> 10. Try not to forget your password again > > > So long, but more like what we have on *BSD. > > -- > Best regards, > Odhiambo WASHINGTON, > Nairobi,KE > +254733744121/+254722743223 > _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ > "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." > -- Lucky Dube > > _______________________________________________ > Skunkworks mailing list > Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Other services @ http://my.co.ke > Other lists > ------------- > Announce: > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce > Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science > kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >

-- Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried.

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Regards,

Alex

If the grass looks greener on the other side, most probably the water bill is higher too

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Its Possible! http://www.itspossible.afraha.com

Collins Areba Omwoyo +254 735 824872 / +254 720 516758 arebacollins[at]gmail[dot]com _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

2009/8/25 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>

Technically speaking, its easier to hack into a linux box with physical access to the machine. Hdd and bios passwd are os independent.

Easy?Not really...with technical ideas, somehow possible. Think of Win XP and the blank Administrator password after a default install.Has been like that for long till lately - boot in safe mode and you have the whole house to yourself! Armed with the right cds and know-how, you will get into a win computer within minutes. Just google around.Bios and Hardware based passwords still retain their capability to limit any common reboot intruder when carefully specified. Guyz in security can add up to this. Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

On 8/25/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

...

On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 1:45 PM, Areba Collins <arebacollins@gmail.com>wrote:

...

After reading this thread,

<shudder> linux is no more secure than whine-dows at the default install. </shudder>

Hi Areba,

That's a very wrong conclusion. The issues under this thread assumed that the 'intruder' has physical access to system to the point of rebooting it.

Your statement above simply implies that a person carrying a Gun is no more secure than a person carrying a Rungu just because all of them can be snatched away.Quite a wrong assumption here.

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

...

On 8/24/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Yeah!! @ Lawi but that's why there exists Boot Loader Passwords (like Grub passwords) and Computer BIOS passwords.

Use them for maximum security.Without them anyone can access any *NIX Systems (Windows too) provided they can reboot it!!!Max it further by encrypting the data just in case somebody snatched the drive(s) .Donno how many around have time for all these...

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

2009/8/24 Alex Ngatia <alex.ngatia@gmail.com>

...

@Motobaridi's solution, doesn't it mean that you can access any *nix machine that boots "normally" as long as you have physical access to it?

2009/8/24 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>

Motobaridi's option works all the time. Well, almost all. Had a

...

problem with a machine with pam authentication and the pam was

broken.

...

...

...

...

Dependency problem ... it was not funny

On 8/24/09, George Njoroge <themburu@gmail.com> wrote: > Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root passwd > for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them). > Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur > username. Ok > easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall see the users > ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you see fit. But > as warned remember you are full root. > Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you > administer all > servers. > Cheerz > Themburu > > 2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> > >> >> On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi < motobaridi@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> 1: Turn your computer on. >>> 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. >>> 3. Press e for edit. >>> 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e >>> 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash >>> 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. >>> 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* >>> *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if >>> not >>> careful! >>> 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. >>> 9. Type in reboot. >>> MOST IMPORTANTLY >>> 10. Try not to forget your password again >> >> >> So long, but more like what we have on *BSD. >> >> -- >> Best regards, >> Odhiambo WASHINGTON, >> Nairobi,KE >> +254733744121/+254722743223 >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ >> "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." >> -- Lucky Dube >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Skunkworks mailing list >> Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> Other lists >> ------------- >> Announce: >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce >> Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >> > > > > -- > Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried. > _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Regards,

Alex

If the grass looks greener on the other side, most probably the water bill is higher too

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

-- Its Possible! http://www.itspossible.afraha.com

Collins Areba Omwoyo +254 735 824872 / +254 720 516758 arebacollins[at]gmail[dot]com _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

@ Lawi Why not become Windows security expert? Linuts know Windows XP is not the most secure by default so they advise us (Windroids) to migrate to Linux instead of learning to secure Winstallations. A 2K per annum anti-virus is less costly than a Linux consultant who needs to make that huawei usb modem works with some device driver that ... This is assuming the Linux consultant is conversant with the flavor / variant of Linux / device drivers .. Am migrating to Windows 7 .. Thank You! On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 4:50 PM, Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com> wrote:

Am with u there, Chris. In fact, am lookin for that hiren boot cd. Havent used it in a long time. All am saying is livecds aside, its easier to reset linux passwd. Not always, maybe. And yeah, before vista and the hidden admin account, many xp machines ran/run with passwdless admin account.

In the end, though, as they say, the secure ones have not yet been born. And am no authority on security matters. At all:)

On 8/25/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

...

2009/8/25 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com>

...

Technically speaking, its easier to hack into a linux box with physical access to the machine. Hdd and bios passwd are os independent.

Easy?Not really...with technical ideas, somehow possible. Think of Win XP and the blank Administrator password after a default install.Has been like that for long till lately - boot in safe mode and you have the whole house to yourself! Armed with the right cds and know-how, you will get into a win computer within minutes. Just google around.Bios and Hardware based passwords still retain their capability to limit any common reboot intruder when carefully specified.

Guyz in security can add up to this.

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

...

On 8/25/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

...

On Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 1:45 PM, Areba Collins <arebacollins@gmail.com>wrote:

...

After reading this thread,

<shudder> linux is no more secure than whine-dows at the default install. </shudder>

Hi Areba,

That's a very wrong conclusion. The issues under this thread assumed that the 'intruder' has physical access to system to the point of rebooting it.

Your statement above simply implies that a person carrying a Gun is no more secure than a person carrying a Rungu just because all of them can be snatched away.Quite a wrong assumption here.

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

...

On 8/24/09, Chris W. <dabnix@gmail.com> wrote:

...

Yeah!! @ Lawi but that's why there exists Boot Loader Passwords

(like

...

...

...

Grub

...

passwords) and Computer BIOS passwords.

Use them for maximum security.Without them anyone can access any *NIX Systems (Windows too) provided they can reboot it!!!Max it further by encrypting the data just in case somebody snatched the drive(s) .Donno how many around have time for all these...

Chris_w. dabnix@gmail.com

2009/8/24 Alex Ngatia <alex.ngatia@gmail.com>

> @Motobaridi's solution, doesn't it mean that you can access any *nix > machine that boots "normally" as long as you have physical access to > it? > > 2009/8/24 Mr. Lawi <mail2lawi@gmail.com> > > Motobaridi's option works all the time. Well, almost all. Had a >> problem with a machine with pam authentication and the pam was broken. >> Dependency problem ... it was not funny >> >> On 8/24/09, George Njoroge <themburu@gmail.com> wrote: >> > Hey go with motobaridi option, I always use it to recover/reset root >> passwd >> > for my client servers (ie if I had forgotten them). >> > Though smt else not mentioned here,u had said u even forgot ur >> > username. >> Ok >> > easy once in root you can just list home directory and u shall >> > see the >> users >> > ie ls /home/ . There you shall see the users. Reset all as you >> > see fit. >> But >> > as warned remember you are full root. >> > Cram this trick as it will save and come in handy when you >> > administer >> all >> > servers. >> > Cheerz >> > Themburu >> > >> > 2009/8/24 Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> >> > >> >> >> >> On Mon, Aug 24, 2009 at 4:05 PM, MotoBaridi < motobaridi@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> >> >>> 1: Turn your computer on. >> >>> 2. Press ESC at the grub prompt. >> >>> 3. Press e for edit. >> >>> 4. Highlight the line that begins kernel ........., press e >> >>> 5. Go to the very end of the line, add rw init=/bin/bash >> >>> 6. press enter, then press b to boot your system. >> >>> 7. Your system will boot up to a passwordless root shell.* >> >>> *CAUTION: This is a FULL ROOT SHELL! You can damage your system if >> >>> not >> >>> careful! >> >>> 8. Type in passwd <username>. Set your password. >> >>> 9. Type in reboot. >> >>> MOST IMPORTANTLY >> >>> 10. Try not to forget your password again >> >> >> >> >> >> So long, but more like what we have on *BSD. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Best regards, >> >> Odhiambo WASHINGTON, >> >> Nairobi,KE >> >> +254733744121/+254722743223 >> >> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ >> >> "If you have nothing good to say about someone, just shut up!." >> >> -- Lucky Dube >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Skunkworks mailing list >> >> Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke >> >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> >> Other lists >> >> ------------- >> >> Announce: >> >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce >> >> Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> >> kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >> >> >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > Conservatism is the adherence to the old tried against the new untried. >> > >> _______________________________________________ >> Skunkworks mailing list >> Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> Other lists >> ------------- >> Announce: >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce >> Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >> > > > > -- > Regards, > > Alex > > If the grass looks greener on the other side, most probably the > water bill > is higher too > > _______________________________________________ > Skunkworks mailing list > Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Other services @ http://my.co.ke > Other lists > ------------- > Announce: > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce > Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science > kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >

-- Its Possible! http://www.itspossible.afraha.com

Collins Areba Omwoyo +254 735 824872 / +254 720 516758 arebacollins[at]gmail[dot]com _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

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