I have a question regarding password safety and encrypting in unix and
unix-like systems.

Today I heard a story about a guy who had broken into the computer
systems of a large corporation. The story teller claimed this guy had
managed to download, among other things, complete lists of all
unix accounts and the corresponding passwords.

I have been a unix user since the 1980s and I have been told by
various support persons that in unix the passwords are encrypted
and if I forget mine I have to get a new, temporary one from my
administrator because there is no way to look up and decrypt my
password.

What is the truth on this matter?

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Martin Schöön <Martin.Schoon@gmail.com>

"Problems worthy of attack
prove their worth by hitting back"
Piet Hein
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