Re: Reseting root password Was: user name from security logs

["Robert Reed" <rreed567 () earthlink net>]

yes there is a way to get control back..... I'm not clear if you are
referring to a Linux box or windows.... please clarify?

for windows boxes there are live Linux distros that will allow you to change
the admin password....... with Linux you can attack the shadow password file
and delete the admin password... then log on as root and create a new
password for the root account

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alexander Klimov" <alserkli () inbox ru>
To: "Emmanuel Goldstein" <goldstein101 () gmail com>
Cc: <security-basics () securityfocus com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 1:33 AM
Subject: Reseting root password Was: user name from security logs


> On Sun, 29 May 2005, Emmanuel Goldstein wrote:
> > I have physical access to the computer and i can also access all hd's
> > files using a LiveCD linux distribution.
> >
> > So, here's my question:  Is there anyway to change the admin password
> > and/or get the machine's control back?
>
> Boot a LiveCD, mount the root partition:
>
> mkdir /tmp/a; mount /dev/hda1 /tmp/a
>
> chroot to it:
>
> chroot /tmp/a
>
> and change the password:
>
> passwd
>
> Depending of authentication method used you can do it more directly,
> e.g., changing a line in /etc/shadow:
>
> root:password-hash:....
>
> to
>
> root::....
>
> -- 
> Regards,
> ASK