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Ubuntu 18.4 server - being able to login via ssh with using any password

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tob76

Due to not being able to set up passwd for a user: passwd: Authentication token manipulation error, passwd: password unchanged I did some config that brought the system into a state I am able to ssh login with using any password for a user with root privileges. Very weird and I think risky state.

The system version is Ubuntu 18.04.6 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.15.0-167-generic x86_64) - this version is supported by our database vendor. The Ubuntu is to be a production system for us.

How would you proceed with this?

Any suggestion would be very welcomed.

Additional details:

I apologize I mistook with the Ubuntu version. Already corrected - thank you.

The server is not available to the internet - it is safe.

I joined it into existing active directory with using:

https://computingforgeeks.com/join-ubuntu-debian-to-active-directory-ad-domain/

and installed the IBM db2 database system - with using IBM procedure.

During the db2 groups and users creation I encountered a problem with setting up passwords. I used the IBM procedure:

https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/db2/11.1?topic=unix-creating-group-user-ids-db2-database-installation

I encountered the problem:

passwd: Authentication token manipulation error, passwd: password unchanged

What solution I applied:

  1. sudo passwd db2inst1
  2. https://www.tecmint.com/fix-passwd-authentication-token-manipulation-error-in-linux/
  3. The drive has much free space.

It seems this is all I accomplished.

regards, Tomek

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pLumo avatar
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pLumo
If this has been exposed to the internet, I would reinstall. Your server might already be part of a botnet if its really like you say that anyone can login with any password.
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muru avatar
us flag
muru
Yep, especially if it's on a standard port. Best wipe and start with a new system.
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br flag
tob76
I do want to find out a root cause of the problem. Suppose the state does not happen often.
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