[mdlug] [WLUG] SuSE root breakin help needed

[Robert Meier]

Jay,

> This got me full access to the system :)   But when I do a 'passwd 
> root' to set a root password it *says* it did it, but nothing ever happens
> to the password field in /etc/passwd :(
> Now what could be causing this?????

This is correct.
Despite the name (historic), /etc/passwd is for public user information.
The second field holds not the password but whether or not account
is an office publically usable without a password.
The password information (hash) is in /etc/shadow.
See passwd(5) and shadow(5) for further details.

Hopefully helpful,
-- 
Bob

  "This statement wouldn't be funny if not for irony!"
     -- http://xkcd.com/6