On Sun, 29 Jun 1997 03:15:38 -0400 (EDT) 
 wonko@blackhole.arkham.net (Brian Hechinger ) wrote:

 > i just noticed that passwd doesn't ask for the original password when you
 > are root trying to change root's password.  i don't like that at all.  i
 > really thing that passwd should ask for the old password when you try to
 > change it for yourself, especially when you are root.
 > 
 > just a thought.

Erm...

I've always considered this a _feature_.... It's saved my butt a few times
when I couldn't remember the root password, but the console is in a secure
location, so I don't need it to boot single-user and change it...

Look at it this way: if Bad Guy has a root shell, what does it matter that
he can change the root password?

Jason R. Thorpe                                       thorpej@nas.nasa.gov
NASA Ames Research Center                               Home: 408.866.1912
NAS: M/S 258-6                                          Work: 415.604.0935
Moffett Field, CA 94035                                Pager: 415.428.6939