SKEYINIT(1) BSD Reference Manual SKEYINIT(1)
skeyinit - change password or add user to S/Key authentication system
skeyinit [-CDErsx] [-a auth-type] [-n count] [-md4 | -md5 | -rmd160 |
-sha1] [user]
skeyinit initializes the system so you can use S/Key one-time passwords
to log in. The program will ask you to enter a secret passphrase which is
used by skey(1) to generate one-time passwords; enter a phrase of several
words in response. After the S/Key database has been updated you can log
in using either your regular password or using S/Key one-time passwords.
skeyinit requires you to type a secret passphrase, so it should be used
only on a secure terminal. For example, on the console of a workstation
or over an encrypted network session. If you are using skeyinit while
logged in over an untrusted network, follow the instructions given below
with the -s option.
Before initializing an S/Key entry, the user must authenticate using ei-
ther a standard password or an S/Key challenge. To use a one-time pass-
word for initial authentication, the "-a skey" option can be used. The
user will then be presented with the standard S/Key challenge and allowed
to proceed if it is correct.
skeyinit prints a sequence number and a one-time password. This password
can't be used to log in; one-time passwords should be generated using
skey(1) first. The one-time password printed by skeyinit can be used to
verify if the right passphrase has been given to skey(1). The one-time
password with the corresponding sequence number printed by skey(1) should
match the one printed by skeyinit.
The options are as follows:
-a auth-type
Specify an authentication type such as "krb5", "passwd", or
"skey".
-C Converts from the old-style /etc/skeykeys database to a new-style
database where user records are stored in the /etc/skey directo-
ry. If an entry already exists in the new-style database it will
not be overwritten.
-D Disables access to the S/Key database. Only the superuser may use
the -D option.
-E Enables access to the S/Key database. Only the superuser may use
the -E option.
-md4 | -md5 | -rmd160 | -sha1
Selects the hash algorithm: MD4, MD5, RMD-160 (160-bit Ripe Mes-
sage Digest), or SHA1 (NIST Secure Hash Algorithm Revision 1).
-n count
Start the skey sequence at count (default is 100).
-r Removes the user's S/Key entry.
-s Set secure mode where the user is expected to have used a secure
machine to generate the first one-time password. Without the -s
option the system will assume you are directly connected over
secure communications and prompt you for your secret passphrase.
The -s option also allows one to set the seed and count for com-
plete control of the parameters. You can use skeyinit -s in com-
bination with the skey command to set the seed and count if you
do not like the defaults. To do this run skeyinit in one window
and put in your count and seed, then run skey in another window
to generate the correct 6 English words for that count and seed.
You can then "cut-and-paste" or type the words into the skeyinit
window. When the -s option is specified, skeyinit will try to au-
thenticate the user via S/Key, instead of the default listed in
/etc/login.conf. If a user has no entry in the S/Key database, an
alternate authentication type must be specified via the -a op-
tion. Please note that entering a password or passphrase in plain
text defeats the purpose of using "secure" mode.
-x Displays one-time passwords in hexadecimal instead of ASCII.
user The username to be changed/added. By default the current user is
operated on.
/etc/login.conf file containing authentication types
/etc/skey directory containing user entries for S/Key
$ skeyinit
Reminder - Only use this method if you are directly connected
or have an encrypted channel. If you are using telnet,
hit return now and use skeyinit -s.
Password: <enter your regular password here>
[Updating user with md5]
Old seed: [md5] host12377
Enter new secret passphrase: <type a new passphrase here>
Again secret passphrase: <again>
ID user skey is otp-md5 100 host12378
Next login password: CITE BREW IDLE CAIN ROD DOME
$ otp-md5 -n 3 100 host12378
Reminder - Do not use this program while logged in via telnet.
Enter secret passphrase: <type your passphrase here>
98: WERE TUG EDDY GEAR GILL TEE
99: NEAR HA TILT FIN LONG SNOW
100: CITE BREW IDLE CAIN ROD DOME
The one-time password for the next login will have sequence number 99.
skey disabled /etc/skey does not exist or is not accessible by the user.
The superuser may enable skeyinit via the -E flag.
skey(1), skeyaudit(1), skeyinfo(1), skey(5), skeyprune(8)
Phil Karn, Neil M. Haller, John S. Walden, Scott Chasin, Todd Miller
MirBSD #10-current February 24, 1998 1