2.1 User Accounts
2.1.5 Changing your password
Changing your password frequently helps prevent unauthorized access to your system. The process of changing your password is the same whether you logged in through CDE or the command line. The password is changed at the command line in either case.

If you are logged into a CDE session, you will right click on the background to bring up the Workspace Menu, click on Tools, and open a terminal window. 

Note - On some systems, the terminal window may be found elsewhere in the Workspace Menu.  On some systems, the terminal window may be found under the Windows Workspace Menu option. If that is the case, click on this instead of Applications to access a terminal window. 

The terminal window will give you access to a command line $ prompt. The dollar sign ($) represents a Korn or Bourne shell. You might also have a percent sign (%) for the C Shell or a number or pound sign (#) indicating you are logged in as root. After you have a terminal window open, type the passwd command after the system prompt and press Return. When prompted to Enter login password: type your current password and press Return. When prompted for New password, type your new password and press Return. You will then be prompted to retype your new password to confirm it. (This is required for verification of the new password by the system.) Use the accompanying media activity to practice changing the password for user02 using the command line in a terminal window. Be sure to follow the rules for valid passwords previously covered. Remember passwords are case-sensitive and can contain spaces and special characters.

The following is the series of prompts that results from the passwd command:

$ passwd
passwd: Changing password for user1
Enter login password: ABC 123
New password: abc 456
Re-enter new passwd: abc 456
$

Note: Your password will not appear on the screen as you type.

Interactive Media Activity (Flash, 85 kB)
  Changing your Password

In this media activity, you will enter the commands to change your login password.  Click on step 1 to begin. 

Lab Activity (Adobe Acrobat Reader, 13 kB)
  Accessing your System

In this lab, you will review the requirements for UNIX login IDs and passwords. You will practice logging in to a UNIX system using the CDE login screen. You will then change your password, exit (or log out) and return to the CDE login screen.