Is this a good Idea? WAS Re: root passwd change on 3b2/310

[Richard Meesters]

In article <294 at alix.UUCP>, isolated at alix.UUCP (20 James D. Corder) writes:
> In article <34137 at ut-emx.UUCP> rchan at ut-emx.UUCP (Ricardo Chan) writes:
> >I have a 3B2/310 computer with an unknown root passwd.  
> >Could anyone tell me the procedure to get to it and change it?
> 
> 	I was about to respawn to this question.  Then it struck me:
> How does one know if said poster is the SysAdmin?  If he/she is then
> I would have no problem giving out such information.  Could a responce
> to such cause the root [zero id] password to be changed on all the
> 3B2s at BigWig U?
> 
> 	Interesting topic?:-)

Well, the only way I know of to change the root password if you can't log in
to the box as root is to use "magic mode".  That requires that you not only
have access to the physical unit, but also to the foundation set software, 
_and_ the system has to be taken down to use it.  The university/business in
question would have to have pretty lax security on their machine rooms in
in order to let something like you suggest happen.

Regards,

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