2 .\" Title: systemd-ask-password
3 .\" Author: Lennart Poettering <lennart@poettering.net>
4 .\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.76.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
6 .\" Manual: systemd-ask-password
10 .TH "SYSTEMD\-ASK\-PASSWO" "1" "02/15/2012" "systemd" "systemd-ask-password"
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12 .\" * Define some portability stuff
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15 .\" http://bugs.debian.org/507673
16 .\" http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/groff/2009-02/msg00013.html
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21 .\" * set default formatting
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31 systemd-ask-password \- Query the user for a system password
33 .HP \w'\fBsystemd\-ask\-password\ \fR\fB[OPTIONS...]\fR\fB\ \fR\fB[MESSAGE]\fR\ 'u
34 \fBsystemd\-ask\-password \fR\fB[OPTIONS...]\fR\fB \fR\fB[MESSAGE]\fR
37 \fBsystemd\-ask\-password\fR
38 may be used to query a system password or passphrase from the user, using a question message specified on the command line\&. When run from a TTY it will query a password on the TTY and print it to STDOUT\&. When run with no TTY or with
40 it will query the password system\-wide and allow active users to respond via several agents\&. The latter is only available to privileged processes\&.
42 The purpose of this tool is to query system\-wide passwords \-\- that is passwords not attached to a specific user account\&. Examples include: unlocking encrypted hard disks when they are plugged in or at boot, entering an SSL certificate passphrase for web and VPN servers\&.
44 Existing agents are: a boot\-time password agent asking the user for passwords using Plymouth; a boot\-time password agent querying the user directly on the console; an agent requesting password input via a
46 message; an agent suitable for running in a GNOME session; a command line agent which can be started temporarily to process queued password requests; a TTY agent that is temporarily spawned during
50 Additional password agents may be implemented according to the
51 \m[blue]\fBsystemd Password Agent Specification\fR\m[]\&\s-2\u[1]\d\s+2\&.
53 If a password is queried on a tty the user may press TAB to hide the asterisks normally shown for each character typed\&. Pressing Backspace as first key achieves the same effect\&.
56 The following options are understood:
58 \fB\-\-h\fR, \fB\-\-help\fR
60 Prints a short help text and exits\&.
65 Specify an icon name alongside the password query, which may be used in all agents supporting graphical display\&. The icon name should follow the
66 \m[blue]\fBXDG Icon Naming Specification\fR\m[]\&\s-2\u[2]\d\s+2\&.
71 Specify the query timeout in seconds\&. Defaults to 90s\&.
76 Never ask for password on current TTY even if one is available\&. Always use agent system\&.
79 \fB\-\-accept\-cached\fR
81 If passed accept cached passwords, i\&.e\&. passwords previously typed in\&.
86 When used in conjunction with
87 \fB\-\-accept\-cached\fR
88 accept multiple passwords\&. This will output one password per line\&.
92 On success 0 is returned, a non\-zero failure code otherwise\&.
102 \fBLennart Poettering\fR <\&lennart@poettering\&.net\&>
108 systemd Password Agent Specification
110 \%http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/PasswordAgents
113 XDG Icon Naming Specification
115 \%http://standards.freedesktop.org/icon-naming-spec/icon-naming-spec-latest.html