Ansible Change User Password: Secure Password Management Guide
By Luca Berton · Published 2024-01-01 · Category: installation
How to change user passwords with Ansible. Use password_hash, vault encryption, and user module to manage passwords securely on Linux and Windows.
How to Change a User Password with Ansible
Welcome to another episode of Ansible Pilot! I'm Luca Berton, and in today's session, we'll explore how to change a user password using Ansible. The Ansible module we'll be focusing on is ansible.builtin.user, a stable and well-established module that comes bundled with Ansible. It's designed to manage user accounts on various Linux distributions, SunOS, macOS, and FreeBSD.
Understanding the Ansible user Module
The ansible.builtin.user module falls under the "builtin" collection of Ansible modules, indicating its integral nature within the Ansible framework. This module has been around for years and proves reliable in handling user accounts across a wide range of operating systems. For Windows environments, the equivalent module is ansible.windows.win_user.
Key Parameters
The user module offers a plethora of parameters to cater to various user management tasks. Here are some key parameters: • name (string): Specifies the username. • state (string): Indicates whether the user should be present or absent. • password (string): For Linux, the password must be encrypted; for macOS, it can be in cleartext.
The only mandatory parameter is "name" since it denotes the username. The "state" parameter is crucial and should be set to "present" when changing the password, as it ensures the account exists. The most significant parameter is "password," allowing you to set the new password. For macOS, the password is in cleartext, while for Linux, it must be encrypted. The password_hash filter can be used to generate an encrypted password. Optionally, you can specify the encryption algorithm and salt to enhance password security.
Live Demo: Changing a User Password in Linux
Let's dive into a practical Ansible playbook to Playbooknstrate changing a user account password in a Linux environment.
Ansible Playbook Code • change_password.yml
Playbook Execution Output
Verification
Note: Ensure that the sshpass utility is installed on the system.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You've successfully learned how to change a user password using Ansible. The ansible.builtin.user module provides a robust and versatile solution for managing user accounts. Feel free to customize the playbook to suit your environment and security requirements. Happy automating!
Linux: Change Password
Using Ansible Vault
Bulk Password Reset
Force Password Change at Next Login
Windows Password
Generate Random Password
Password Hash Methods
| Algorithm | Filter | Security | |-----------|--------|----------| | SHA-512 | password_hash('sha512') | Recommended | | SHA-256 | password_hash('sha256') | Good | | MD5 | password_hash('md5') | Weak — avoid | | bcrypt | password_hash('bcrypt') | Strong (needs passlib) |
Set Password Expiry
FAQ
Why must I hash the password?
The Linux user module expects a pre-hashed password (like /etc/shadow format). Without hashing, the literal string becomes the hash, and login fails.
How do I check if a password works?
update_password: always vs on_create? • always: Changes password every run (ensures compliance) • on_create: Only sets password when creating the user
How do I avoid showing passwords in logs?
Always use no_log: true on tasks handling passwords.
Set Password (Linux)
Set Password from Vault
Set Password with Salt
Change Multiple User Passwords
Force Password Change on Next Login
Set Password Expiry
Generate Random Password
Windows Password
Using chpasswd (Alternative)
Common Mistakes
FAQ
Why does the task always show "changed"?
Without a static salt, password_hash generates a different hash each run. Add a salt: password_hash('sha512', 'mysalt').
How do I verify the password was set?
Can I use bcrypt instead of SHA-512?
Yes: password_hash('blowfish'). Requires passlib Python library on the controller.
Related Articles • Ansible Become Guide • Ansible Inventory Guide • Ansible for Windows Guide
Category: installation
Watch the video: Ansible Change User Password: Secure Password Management Guide — Video Tutorial