jks

Beginning with the v1.354 release the system makes a one-time check for the Debian Linux root account having no password set. And also the demo account named "debian" having the well-known default password ("temppwd") set or, alternatively, no password set. Note: these passwords are Linux passwords and are separate and distinct from the Kiwi admin password.

If either of these situations is found then the root and/or debian account passwords are changed as follows:

• If your Kiwi admin password has been set (i.e. not blank) then this password will be used.
  
• If no Kiwi admin password has been set then the Kiwi serial number will be used (written on top of Kiwi PCB in white silkscreen box; also found on "network" tab of admin page and in the log messages).
  

It is now more important than ever to remember your Kiwi admin password. Please write it down someplace. If you forget your password, and the Kiwi has irreplaceable data that is not backed-up (e.g. an extensively curated dx tags list), you will have to regain Linux root access the old fashioned way: purchase a Beagle serial-to-USB cable and boot Debian in single-user mode to reset the root password. Not fun!

The exact actions taken are shown in the Kiwi log the first time v1.354, or a later version, is run. Some examples:

Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: One-time check of Linux passwords..

If no further "SECURITY" messages appear then the root and debian passwords were okay and nothing was done.

Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: One-time check of Linux passwords..
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: WARNING Linux "root" password is unset!
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: Setting it to Kiwi admin password
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: "root" password set returned status=0 (OK)
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: WARNING Linux "debian" account password is set to the default!
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: Setting it to Kiwi admin password
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: "debian" password set returned status=0 (OK)

Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: One-time check of Linux passwords..
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: WARNING Linux "root" password is unset!
Nov 28 20:25:01 kiwisdr kiwid[12888]: 00:00:37.951 ....      SECURITY: Setting it to Kiwi serial number (because Kiwi admin password unset)

These changes are necessary because Kiwis continue to be installed such that their ssh ports are accessible from the Internet with the root accounts having no password set. This makes them vulnerable to being found and infected by Internet viruses. This can happen if the Kiwi is behind a router but the ssh port is open though the router or if the Kiwi is directly connected to the Internet with a publicly routable address.

It is possible you have intentionally made the root password unset/blank to ease administration when your ssh port is properly secured from Internet access (there are better ways to do this, see e.g. the ssh man page and the file /root/.ssh/authorized_keys). In that case this change will overwrite your unset/blank password and you will have to restore it (e.g. with "passwd -d root").

After sitting on the "back burner" for almost 3 years the timecode extension is now available. It's useable but incomplete, has missing features and many known bugs.

It's also more of a curiosity than anything really useful. But that can be said to a varying degree about the entire project I suppose. I did it because it was fun. Something that has been in short supply lately.

After sitting on the "back burner" for almost 3 years the timecode extension is now available. It's useable but incomplete, has missing features and many known bugs.

It's also more of a curiosity than anything really useful. But that can be said to a varying degree about the entire project I suppose. I did it because it was fun. Something that has been in short supply lately.

After sitting on the "back burner" for almost 3 years the timecode extension is now available. It's useable but incomplete, has missing features and many known bugs.

It's also more of a curiosity than anything really useful. But that can be said to a varying degree about the entire project I suppose. I did it because it was fun. Something that has been in short supply lately.

After sitting on the "back burner" for almost 3 years the timecode extension is now available. It's useable but incomplete, has missing features and many known bugs.

It's also more of a curiosity than anything really useful. But that can be said to a varying degree about the entire project I suppose. I did it because it was fun. Something that has been in short supply lately.