Is it safe to manually edit /etc/passwd?

Question

I need to change the "real name" of a user (not the username).
For example if I have:

testuser:x:1001:1001:Max Mustermann,,,:/home/testuser:/bin/bash

And I want it to be:

testuser:x:1001:1001:Max Müller,,,:/home/testuser:/bin/bash

Can I just edit it manually or will that negatively effect anything (for example ssmtp)? I know that the username can be changed safely using usermod, but I never had to change the "real" name before.

HBruijn · Answer 1 · 2016-04-25T09:10:01.933

3

Rather than editing the password file directly it is recommended to use vipw which will set the appropriate locks to prevent file corruption.

But to change the display name (and other GECOS info) both a user and root can also use the chfn command.

Other than that, go ahead!

edited Apr 25 '16 at 09:10

answered Apr 25 '16 at 09:03

HBruijn

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score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 25 '16 at 09:09

2

You can change the "username" (actually GECOS/comment) field with the usermod -c command

answered Apr 25 '16 at 09:09

jlliagre

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The manpage of usermod isn't very clear on that one, thank you, it worked as intended. – Richard Boonen Apr 25 '16 at 09:17

Is it safe to manually edit /etc/passwd?

2 Answers2