Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!sun-barr!apple!zorba!dtynan
From: bill@twwells.com (T. William Wells)
Newsgroups: comp.unix
Subject: Re: Passwd file
Message-ID: <3456@zorba.Tynan.COM>
Date: 10 Sep 89 01:17:05 GMT
References: <3474@altos86.Altos.COM>
Sender: dtynan@zorba.Tynan.COM
Organization: None, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Lines: 17
Approved: dtynan@zorba.Tynan.COM

In article <3474@altos86.Altos.COM> uunet!ncar.UCAR.EDU!boulder!fred!bobk (Bob Kinne) writes:
: What is the purpose of the following /etc/passwd entry?
:
: ::0:0:::    (null login, password, and shell)

There is no purpose to it, unless some hacker put it in to allow
anyone root access.

Generally, it is created by a bug in the software. Here is a way that
is reputed to create such a line: edit the /etc/passwd file and put a
blank line in it. Then run passwd to change a password.

Your milage may vary.

---
Bill                    { uunet | novavax | ankh | sunvice } !twwells!bill
bill@twwells.com