lchage Command in Linux
The lchage command in Linux is used to manage user password policies. This command allows users to set and modify various aspects of password management, such as the last password change date, password inactivity periods, and account expiration. With lchage, you can also define the minimum and maximum number of days between password changes and set warning days before password expiration. This command is useful for enforcing security policies and ensuring that user accounts are properly managed and secure.
Table of Contents
Here is a comprehensive guide to the options available with the lchage command −
- Installation lchage Command
- Syntax of lchage Command
- lchage Command Options
- Examples of lchage Command in Linux
Installation lchage Command
To use the lchage command, you need to install the libuser package on Linux from your distribution’s package manager.
For Debian-based systems like Ubuntu, run −
sudo apt install libuser
For Red Hat-based systems like CentOS or Fedora, run −
sudo yum install libuser
For Arch Linux, use −
sudo pacman -S libuser
For openSUSE, use −
sudo zypper install libuser
Syntax of lchage Command
The syntax for the lchage command is −
lchage [options] user
Where −
- [options] can include various flags to modify the command’s behaviour.
- user is the username of the account you want to modify.
lchage Command Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| -d, --date=DAYS | Configures the days elapsed since January 1, 1970, when the password was last updated. |
| -E, --expire=DAYS | Sets the number of days until the account expires. |
| -i, --interactive | Prompts the user for input interactively. |
| -l, --list | Displays account aging information. |
| -m, --mindays=DAYS | Configures the least number of days required between password updates. |
| -M, --maxdays=DAYS | Specifies the upper limit on the number of days a password remains valid. |
| -I, --inactive=DAYS | Defines the period after which an expired password results in the account being disabled. |
| --usage | Shows a usage message and then terminates the process. |
| -W, --warndays=DAYS | Establishes the advance notification period before a password expires. |
Examples of lchage Command in Linux
The following are some practical examples of the lchage command on a Linux system −
1. List Account Aging Information
To display account aging information for a user, you can use the -l option followed by the username. This will show details such as the last password change date, account expiration date, and more. For example, if you want to list the account aging information for the user ubuntu, execute the below-given command −
sudo lchage -l ubuntu
2. Set Minimum Number of Days Between Password Changes
In case you want to set the minimum number of days between password changes, simply use the -m option followed by the number of days and the username. For example, to set a minimum of 7 days between password changes for the user ubuntu, run the below command −
sudo lchage -m 7 ubuntu
3. Set Maximum Number of Days the Password is Valid
To set the maximum number of days a password is valid, use the -M option followed by the number of days and the username. For example, to set a maximum of 90 days for the user ubuntu, use the command −
sudo lchage -M 90 ubuntu
4. Set Account Expiration Date
You can set the account expiration date using the -E option followed by the number of days since January 1, 1970, and the username. For example, to set the account of the user ubuntu to expire in 365 days, use the command −
sudo lchage -E 365 ubuntu
5. Set Warning Days Before Password Expiration
To set the number of days of warning before a password expires, use the -W option followed by the number of days and the username. For example, to set a warning 7 days before the password expires for the user ubuntu, use the command −
sudo lchage -W 7 ubuntu
Conclusion
The lchage command is a crucial tool for system administrators to manage user password policies on Linux systems. This tutorial has outlined the basic syntax, various options, and practical examples of using the lchage command.
Whether you need to set password expiration dates, define inactivity periods, or configure warning days, lchage offers a comprehensive and efficient way to enforce security policies and ensure that user accounts are properly managed and secure.