[sf-lug] recovery from loss of root password

[Kristian Erik Hermansen]

On 9/18/07, Alex Kleider <a_kleider at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Recovering from loss of root password:
>
> There are a couple of documented methods of recovering when a root
> password is forgotten:
> 1. if boot loader is lilo, the boot: Linux init=/bin/sh option is
> supposed to provide a shell with root privileges and further details
> are documented in the Debian tips chapter (8) of the Debian Reference
> Unfortunately this is of little use since Debian now uses GRUB, not
> LILO.
> Preliminary question: is there an equivalent GRUB boot option?

As far as I know, init=/bin/sh is just an option being passed to the
kernel, so this works exactly the same way using GRUB.  Correct me if
I am wrong here.  I haven't used lilo since probably 2001, heh...

Another more unusual way to recover the root credentials is to log on
as a normal user and then elevate to id=0 via a localized kernel
exploit.  Then just reset your passwd...
-- 
Kristian Erik Hermansen