Command ReferenceA-149
NAME
shadow - shadow password file
SYNOPSIS
/etc/shadow
DESCRIPTION
The shadow file provides more secure storage for the users password (which
would otherwise be in /etc/passwd). When the password field of an entry in
/etc/passwd is empty, /etc/shadow must contain a corresponding entry with
the same user name but a non-empty encrypted password.
username:password:
The following list explains the required fields:
username The users login name, not more than eight characters.
password The users password, in an encrypted form that is generated by the
UNIX passwd function.
There can be other fields in the /etc/shadow file following the : after the
password.
EXAMPLE
Here is a sample shadow password file entry:
dave:Qs5I6pBb2rJDA:
SEE ALSO
passwd, options, nis, nsswitch.conf
shadow