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I'm trying to implement an automated root password change for our Linux boxes. I'm generating a hash in the script since users will be able to see the contents of the script.

I found that you can pass a hash with the usermod utility. However, I'm running into a variable substitution issue as seen below.

Example:

# usermod -p $1$0J8av/8N$LIKB2G56XJn2IXp0XzERo1 root

# grep root /etc/shadow
root:-bashJ8av/8N:15709:0:99999:7:::
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4

Surround the password on the usermod command with single quotes '' or escape the $ with '\$'

Like this

# usermod -p '$1$0J8av/8N$LIKB2G56XJn2IXp0XzERo1' root

or

# usermod -p \$1\$0J8av/8N\$LIKB2G56XJn2IXp0XzERo1 root
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  • Thanks, the single quotes worked. I was trying double quotes.
    – steelcityamir
    Jan 4, 2013 at 15:06
  • Double quotes, as you noticed, still allow for variable interpolation. Single quotes on the other hand, don't.
    – coredump
    Jan 4, 2013 at 15:07

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