Last update 31-Jan-2001
mbpasswd - The password wrapper.
Synopsis.
mbpasswd [-opt] [username] [password]
Description.
mbpasswd is the wrapper for the passwd program is present on all Linux systems. To use passwd to change the password of another user is only allowed by root. The mbpasswd program overcomes this limitation. The wrapper mbpasswd is run from the bbs by user mbse when an ordinary user is logged in the bbs. The program is called when a new user logs in the bbs or when an existing user changes his password. His password under Unix is then always the same as his password in the bbs program. This is necessary for the user to be able to get his email using the pop3 protocol.
You never need to run mbpasswd by hand, in fact it is protected so that only members of group bbs are allowed to use it.
Environment.
mbpasswd must be installed setuid root and setgid root, ls -la looks like this:
-rws--s--x 1 root root 6644 Jun 26 21:23 /opt/mbse/bin/mbpasswd*
Commands.
mbpasswd [-opt] [username] [password]
for example:
mbpasswd -f michiel secretValid options are -f (forced), this will also change locked passwords, this has only effect if your system uses shadow passwords. If you use -n as option, locked passwords cannot be changed. For a new user the -f option is used by mbsebbs, when a user changes his own password the -n option is used.