shadow/man/pwck.8.xml

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<!DOCTYPE refentry PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.3//EN"
		"http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.3/docbookx.dtd">
<refentry id='pwck.8'>
  <!-- $Id: pwck.8.xml,v 1.8 2005/06/16 20:09:08 kloczek Exp $ -->
  <refmeta>
    <refentrytitle>pwck</refentrytitle>
    <manvolnum>8</manvolnum>
  </refmeta>
  <refnamediv id='name'>
    <refname>pwck</refname>
    <refpurpose>verify integrity of password files</refpurpose>
  </refnamediv>
  <!-- body begins here -->
  <refsynopsisdiv id='synopsis'>
    <cmdsynopsis>
      <command>pwck</command>
      <arg choice='opt'>-sr </arg>
      <arg choice='opt'>
        <arg choice='plain'>
          <replaceable>passwd</replaceable>
        </arg>
        <arg choice='plain'>
          <replaceable>shadow</replaceable>
        </arg>
      </arg>
    </cmdsynopsis>
  </refsynopsisdiv>
  
  <refsect1 id='description'>
    <title>DESCRIPTION</title>
    <para><command>pwck</command> verifies the integrity of the system
      authentication information. All entries in the
      <filename>/etc/passwd</filename> and <filename>/etc/shadow</filename>
      are checked to see that the entry has the proper format and valid data
      in each field. The user is prompted to delete entries that are
      improperly formatted or which have other uncorrectable errors.
    </para>
    
    <para>Checks are made to verify that each entry has:</para>
    <itemizedlist mark='bullet'>
      <listitem>
        <para>the correct number of fields</para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>a unique user name</para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>a valid user and group identifier</para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>a valid primary group</para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para> a valid home directory</para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>a valid login shell</para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>
    
    <para>The checks for correct number of fields and unique user name are
      fatal. If the entry has the wrong number of fields, the user will be
      prompted to delete the entire line. If the user does not answer
      affirmatively, all further checks are bypassed. An entry with a
      duplicated user name is prompted for deletion, but the remaining
      checks will still be made. All other errors are warning and the user
      is encouraged to run the <command>usermod</command> command to correct
      the error.
    </para>
    
    <para> The commands which operate on the
      <filename>/etc/passwd</filename> file are not able to alter corrupted
      or duplicated entries. <command>pwck</command> should be used in
      those circumstances to remove the offending entry.
    </para>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='options'>
    <title>OPTIONS</title>
    <para>
      By default, <command>pwck</command> operates on the files
      <filename>/etc/passwd</filename> and <filename>/etc/shadow</filename>. 
      The user may select alternate files with the <emphasis
      remap='I'>passwd</emphasis> and <emphasis remap='I'>shadow</emphasis>
      parameters. Additionally, the user may execute the command in
      read-only mode by specifying the <option>-r</option> flag. This causes
      all questions regarding changes to be answered <emphasis
      remap='B'>no</emphasis> without user intervention. 
      <command>pwck</command> can also sort entries in
      <filename>/etc/passwd</filename> and <filename>/etc/shadow</filename>
      by UID. To run it in sort mode pass it <option>-s</option> flag. No
      checks are performed then, it just sorts.
    </para>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='files'>
    <title>FILES</title>
    <variablelist>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>/etc/group</filename></term>
        <listitem>group account information</listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>/etc/passwd</filename></term>
        <listitem>user account information</listitem>
      </varlistentry>
      <varlistentry>
        <term><filename>/etc/shadow</filename></term>
        <listitem>secure user account information</listitem>
      </varlistentry>
    </variablelist>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='see_also'>
    <title>SEE ALSO</title>
    <para><citerefentry>
        <refentrytitle>group</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
      </citerefentry>,
      <citerefentry>
        <refentrytitle>passwd</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
      </citerefentry>,
      <citerefentry>
        <refentrytitle>shadow</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum>
      </citerefentry>,
      <citerefentry>
        <refentrytitle>usermod</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum>
      </citerefentry>
    </para>
  </refsect1>

  <refsect1 id='exit_values'>
    <title>EXIT VALUES</title>
    <para>
      The <command>pwck</command> command exits with the following values:
      <variablelist>
        <varlistentry>
          <term><replaceable>0</replaceable></term>
          <listitem>success</listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term><replaceable>1</replaceable></term>
          <listitem>invalid command syntax</listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term><replaceable>2</replaceable></term>
          <listitem>one or more bad password entries</listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term><replaceable>3</replaceable></term>
          <listitem>can't open password files</listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term><replaceable>4</replaceable></term>
          <listitem>can't lock password files</listitem>
        </varlistentry>
        <varlistentry>
          <term><replaceable>5</replaceable></term>
          <listitem>can't update password files</listitem>
        </varlistentry>
      </variablelist>
    </para>
  </refsect1>
  
  <refsect1 id='author'>
    <title>AUTHOR</title>
    <para>Julianne Frances Haugh (jockgrrl@ix.netcom.com)</para>
  </refsect1>
</refentry>