GPASSWD(1)                       User Commands                      GPASSWD(1)

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       gpasswd - administer /etc/group and /etc/gshadow

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       gpasswd [option] group

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       The gpasswd command is used to administer /etc/group, and /etc/gshadow.
       Every group can have administrators, members and a password.

       System administrators can use the -A option to define group
       administrator(s) and the -M option to define members. They have all
       rights of group administrators and members.

       gpasswd called by a group administrator with a group name only prompts
       for the new password of the group.

       If a password is set the members can still use newgrp(1) without a
       password, and non-members must supply the password.

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       Group passwords are an inherent security problem since more than one
       person is permitted to know the password. However, groups are a useful
       tool for permitting co-operation between different users.

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       Except for the -A and -M options, the options cannot be combined.

       The options which apply to the gpasswd command are:

       -a, --add user
           Add the user to the named group.

       -d, --delete user
           Remove the user from the named group.

       -h, --help
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       -Q, --root CHROOT_DIR
           Apply changes in the CHROOT_DIR directory and use the configuration
           files from the CHROOT_DIR directory. Only absolute paths are
           supported.

       -r, --remove-password
           Remove the password from the named group. The group password will
           be empty. Only group members will be allowed to use newgrp to join
           the named group.

       -R, --restrict
           Restrict the access to the named group. The group password is set
           to "!". Only group members with a password will be allowed to use
           newgrp to join the named group.

       -A, --administrators user,...
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       -M, --members user,...
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CAVEATS
       This tool only operates on the /etc/group and /etc/gshadow files.  Thus
       you cannot change any NIS or LDAP group. This must be performed on the
       corresponding server.

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       The following configuration variables in /etc/login.defs change the
       behavior of this tool:

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       /etc/group
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       /etc/gshadow
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       newgrp(1), groupadd(8), groupdel(8), groupmod(8), grpck(8), group(5),
       gshadow(5).

shadow-utils 4.15.1               2024-04-01                        GPASSWD(1)