[blu] Forgotten root password

[bbj at innismir.net (Ben Jackson)]

Drew Taylor wrote:

> I'm resurrecting an old RH 7.3 box and I've forgotten the root password. 
> :-( In addition, I seem to have tossed the old install discs I burned as 
> well. I have a non-root login I remember so I can log into the system. 
> But I can't upgrade apache/perl/etc. What are my options?

Well, you can try linux single, but that may prompt you for the root 
password. Alternatively, I've seen something along the lines of linux 
init=/bin/sh or something.

You can also try booting from knoppix and editing /etc/shadow.

The uber k-rad 31337 way is you can probably get root access by 
downloading, compiling, and running this:

http://packetstormsecurity.org/0304-exploits/ptrace-kmod.c

If your running <2.4.18 or <2.2.24, it's a nifty ptrace exploit, and 
I've used it myself to knock over 3 boxes (legally of course, it was a 
CTF contest), it works like a charm. Use at your own risk.

					~Ben


-- 
/"\  Ben Jackson
\ /  bbj <at> innismir.net - http://www.innismir.net/
  X   Member of the ASCII Ribbon Campaign Against HTML Mail
/ \