4.3BSD - /usr/man/cat5/passwd.0

PASSWD(5)                                                            PASSWD(5)


NAME
       passwd - password file

DESCRIPTION
       Passwd contains for each user the following information:

       name (login name, contains no upper case)
       encrypted password
       numerical user ID
       numerical group ID
       user’s real name, office, extension, home phone.
       initial working directory
       program to use as Shell

       The name may contain ‘&’, meaning insert the login name.  This informa‐
       tion is set by the chfn(1) command and used by the finger(1) command.

       This is an ASCII file.  Each field within each user’s  entry  is  sepa‐
       rated  from  the next by a colon.  Each user is separated from the next
       by a new-line.  If the password field is null, no password is demanded;
       if the Shell field is null, then /bin/sh is used.

       This  file  resides  in directory /etc.  Because of the encrypted pass‐
       words, it can and does have general read permission and  can  be  used,
       for example, to map numerical user ID’s to names.

       Appropriate  precautions must be taken to lock the file against changes
       if it is to be edited with a text editor; vipw(8)  does  the  necessary
       locking.

FILES
       /etc/passwd

SEE ALSO
       getpwent(3),  login(1),  crypt(3),  passwd(1),  group(5), chfn(1), fin‐
       ger(1), vipw(8), adduser(8)

BUGS
       User information (name, office, etc.) should be stored elsewhere.


7th Edition                     January 8, 1986                      PASSWD(5)