SYSTEMD-ASK-PASSWORD(1) systemd-ask-password SYSTEMD-ASK-PASSWORD(1)
NAME
systemd-ask-password - Query the user for a system password
SYNOPSIS
systemd-ask-password [OPTIONS...] [MESSAGE]
DESCRIPTION
systemd-ask-password may be used to query a system password or
passphrase from the user, using a question message specified on the
command line. When run from a TTY it will query a password on the TTY
and print it to standard output. When run with no TTY or with --no-tty
it will query the password system-wide and allow active users to
respond via several agents. The latter is only available to privileged
processes.
The purpose of this tool is to query system-wide passwords -- that is
passwords not attached to a specific user account. Examples include:
unlocking encrypted hard disks when they are plugged in or at boot,
entering an SSL certificate passphrase for web and VPN servers.
Existing agents are: a boot-time password agent asking the user for
passwords using Plymouth; a boot-time password agent querying the user
directly on the console; an agent requesting password input via a
wall(1) message; an agent suitable for running in a GNOME session; a
command line agent which can be started temporarily to process queued
password requests; a TTY agent that is temporarily spawned during
systemctl(1) invocations.
Additional password agents may be implemented according to the systemd
Password Agent Specification[1].
If a password is queried on a TTY, the user may press TAB to hide the
asterisks normally shown for each character typed. Pressing Backspace
as first key achieves the same effect.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood:
--icon=
Specify an icon name alongside the password query, which may be
used in all agents supporting graphical display. The icon name
should follow the XDG Icon Naming Specification[2].
--timeout=
Specify the query timeout in seconds. Defaults to 90s. A timeout of
0 waits indefinitely.
--echo
Echo the user input instead of masking it. This is useful when
using systemd-ask-password to query for usernames.
--no-tty
Never ask for password on current TTY even if one is available.
Always use agent system.
--accept-cached
If passed, accept cached passwords, i.e. passwords previously typed
in.
--multiple
When used in conjunction with --accept-cached accept multiple
passwords. This will output one password per line.
-h, --help
Print a short help text and exit.
EXIT STATUS
On success, 0 is returned, a non-zero failure code otherwise.
SEE ALSO
systemd(1), systemctl(1), plymouth(8), wall(1)
NOTES
1. systemd Password Agent Specification
http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/systemd/PasswordAgents
2. XDG Icon Naming Specification
http://standards.freedesktop.org/icon-naming-spec/icon-naming-spec-latest.html
systemd 219 SYSTEMD-ASK-PASSWORD(1)