<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <refentry id='gpasswd.1'> <!-- $Id$ --> <refmeta> <refentrytitle>gpasswd</refentrytitle> <manvolnum>1</manvolnum> <refmiscinfo class="sectdesc">User Commands</refmiscinfo> </refmeta> <refnamediv id='name'> <refname>gpasswd</refname> <refpurpose>administer the <filename>/etc/group</filename> file</refpurpose> </refnamediv> <!-- body begins here --> <refsynopsisdiv id='synopsis'> <cmdsynopsis> <command>gpasswd</command> <arg choice='opt'> <replaceable>option</replaceable> </arg> <arg choice='plain'> <replaceable>group</replaceable> </arg> </cmdsynopsis> </refsynopsisdiv> <refsect1 id='description'> <title>DESCRIPTION</title> <para> The <command>gpasswd</command> command is used to administer the <filename>/etc/group</filename> file (and <filename>/etc/gshadow</filename> file if compiled with SHADOWGRP defined). Every group can have administrators, members and a password. System administrator can use the <option>-A</option> option to define group administrator(s) and the <option>-M</option> option to define members and has all rights of group administrators and members. </para> <para> <command>gpasswd</command> called by a group administrator with a group name only prompts for the group password. If a password is set the members can still <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>newgrp</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum> </citerefentry> without a password, and non-members must supply the password. </para> <refsect2 id='notes_about_group_passwords'> <title>Notes about group passwords</title> <para> Group passwords are an inherent security problem since more than one person is permitted to know the password. However, groups are a useful tool for permitting co-operation between different users. </para> </refsect2> </refsect1> <refsect1 id='options'> <title>OPTIONS</title> <para> Except for the <option>-A</option> and <option>-M</option> options, the options cannot be combined. The options which apply to the <command>gpasswd</command> command are: </para> <variablelist remap='IP'> <varlistentry> <term> <option>-a</option> <replaceable>user</replaceable> </term> <listitem> <para> Add the <replaceable>user</replaceable> to the named <replaceable>group</replaceable>. </para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> <variablelist remap='IP'> <varlistentry> <term> <option>-d</option> <replaceable>user</replaceable> </term> <listitem> <para> Remove the <replaceable>user</replaceable> from the named <replaceable>group</replaceable>. </para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> <variablelist remap='IP'> <varlistentry> <term> <option>-r</option> </term> <listitem> <para> Remove the password from the named <replaceable>group</replaceable>. Only group members will be allowed to use <command>newgrp</command> to join the named <replaceable>group</replaceable>. </para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> <variablelist remap='IP'> <varlistentry> <term> <option>-R</option> </term> <listitem> <para> Restrict the access to the named <replaceable>group</replaceable>. Only group members will be allowed to use <command>newgrp</command> to join the named <replaceable>group</replaceable>. </para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> <variablelist remap='IP'> <varlistentry> <term> <option>-A</option> <replaceable>user</replaceable>,... </term> <listitem> <para> Set the list of administrative users. </para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> <variablelist remap='IP'> <varlistentry> <term> <option>-M</option> <replaceable>user</replaceable>,... </term> <listitem> <para> Set the list of group members. </para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> </refsect1> <refsect1 id='files'> <title>FILES</title> <variablelist> <varlistentry> <term><filename>/etc/group</filename></term> <listitem> <para>Group account information.</para> </listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry> <term><filename>/etc/gshadow</filename></term> <listitem> <para>Secure group account information.</para> </listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> </refsect1> <refsect1 id='see_also'> <title>SEE ALSO</title> <para> <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>newgrp</refentrytitle><manvolnum>1</manvolnum> </citerefentry>, <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>gshadow</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum> </citerefentry>, <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>groupadd</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum> </citerefentry>, <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>groupdel</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum> </citerefentry>, <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>groupmod</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum> </citerefentry>, <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>grpck</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum> </citerefentry>, <citerefentry> <refentrytitle>group</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum> </citerefentry>. </para> </refsect1> </refentry>