The second field in the Linux /etc/shadow
file represents a password. However, what we have seen is that:
Some of the password fields may have a single exclamation
<account>:!:.....
Some of the password fields may have a double exclamation
<account>:!!:.....
Some of the password fields may have an asterisk sign
<account>:*:.....
By some research on internet and through this thread, I can understand that *
means password never established, !
means locked.
Can someone explain what does double exclamation (!!
) mean? and how is it different from (!
)?
/etc/shadow
file. Don't put answers into comments, either. ☺ – JdeBP Dec 29 '15 at 8:17