How do I reduce password requests?

Question

I've just recently started daily driving Ubuntu and I am taken aback by how many times in a day I need to write my password; there are situations in which I input it every few minutes.

Now I don't want to simplify my password or to outright remove it for safety reasons but are there any options to reduce login requests?

Maybe asking only once every hour or using a phone to log in (I couldn't make face id work)?

Related: How often is the password asked for sudo commands? Where can I set it up? — steeldriver, Dec 06 '21 at 14:40
There's always a reason for a password request. If you're installing software, changing some settings, etc. those would be the typical reasons. And if you're using auto-login (without password) then also every time the keyring is called you'll need to enter the password. This includes any saved WiFi connection (wifi's password have to be retrieved from the keyring). Make sure you're logging in with a password, as this is the current standard for ALL OSes across the board. That alone will save you to enter it later in many situations. — ChanganAuto, Dec 06 '21 at 14:50
I think we would need to know more about your workflow and understand the reason for so many apparent sudo actions. I can go several days, for example, without needing to use sudo. — user535733, Dec 06 '21 at 14:59
Does this answer your question? How often is the password asked for sudo commands? Where can I set it up? — cocomac, Dec 06 '21 at 15:42
@user535733 I'm still in the process of creating my workflow, installing and uninstalling bunches of programs to see which are useful and which aren't. Just now I tried to install g-assist, didn't like it and removed it, for one. The screen locks because I'm not using the pc (good) and to interact with a notification I have to input my password (bad) etc
Edit: it's not only using sudo in terminal but also every time root has to do something it wants my password — JeyNessuno, Dec 06 '21 at 17:45
@ChanganAuto Yep I've noticed and changed that, but thanks anyways — JeyNessuno, Dec 06 '21 at 17:46
@cocomac for sudo commands, yes, thanks! Is there anything for the password popups? — JeyNessuno, Dec 06 '21 at 17:49
I use a yubikey for sudo commands. Check https://askubuntu.com/questions/1312226/confirm-system-dialogs-solely-by-u2f-device — pLumo, Dec 06 '21 at 18:42

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 06 '21 at 17:56

The password is there for security. How much it is asked, depends on your workflow and on the security settings.

You need to give your password once during login. Each time you log out an then back in, or if you log in through other means, e.g. through ssh or on a tty, you need to give your password. The login password can be disabled, but you are right in saying you do not want that decrease in security.
Then you need to give your password to unlock the screen. After some period of inactivity, the screen lock kicks in. You need to give the password to have access again. You can extend the period after which the lock kicks in, or disable automatic locking to reduce the number of times you need to give a password to unlock your screen.
Then you may need to give your password to do things as administrator, i.e. as root user. Obviously that password should never be disabled. You should only use root privileges when strictly required to manage the operating system. For safety reasons, sudo remembers the password during 15 minutes only. That can be changed. You can open a root prompt with sudo -i. Then your sudo password will not be asked while that prompt is active. Thus, be careful using that feature and do not leave such prompt unnecessarily open.

How do I reduce password requests?

1 Answers1