4.Modifying accounts

Modifying user accounts in a Linux system often requires the use of various commands and utilities.

1. Changing User Password:

• To change a user's password, use the passwd command followed by the username:

  sudo passwd username

• Replace username with the name of the user whose password you want to change. You'll be prompted to enter and confirm the new password.

2. Modifying User Account Details:

• To modify user account details such as the full name or contact information, you can use the usermod command with appropriate options. For example, to change a user's full name:

  sudo usermod -c "New Full Name" username

  Replace "New Full Name" with the updated full name and username with the user's name.

3. Changing User Shell:

• To change a user's default shell, use the chsh command:

  sudo chsh -s /path/to/newshell username

  Replace /path/to/newshell with the path to the desired shell (e.g., /bin/bash, /bin/zsh) and username with the user's name.

4. Adding Users to Groups:

• To add a user to one or more groups, you can use the usermod command with the -aG option:

  sudo usermod -aG group1,group2 username

  Replace group1 and group2 with the names of the groups you want to add the user to, separated by commas.

5. Modifying Home Directory:

• To change a user's home directory, it's recommended to create a new user account with the desired settings, including the home directory path. However, if you need to move an existing user's home directory, use the usermod command with the -m option:

  sudo usermod -m -d /new/home/directory username

  Replace /new/home/directory with the new path to the home directory and username with the user's name.

6. Locking and Unlocking User Accounts:

• You can lock a user account to prevent login using the passwd command:

  sudo passwd -l username

• To unlock a locked account, use the -u option:

  sudo passwd -u username

7. Expire or Disable User Accounts:

• To expire or disable a user account, use the chage command:

  • To set an expiration date for an account:

    sudo chage -E YYYY-MM-DD username

  • To disable an account (no login allowed):

    sudo chage -E -1 username

8. Delete User Accounts:

• To delete a user account and remove their home directory, use the userdel command:

  sudo userdel -r username

• The -r option ensures that the user's home directory and mail spool (if present) are also removed.