0

My password (which I use to log into my computer an average of 50 times a day -- due to lock screen) was recently and very suddenly changed. I was trying to install an image editor and the terminal would print that my password was incorrect. I rebooted my system and to my surprise, no matter how many times I typed the password it was not working. Very odd.

I was eventually able to reset the password and now have access to my computer again.

Now the chances of me actually having forgotten this password are very slim to none. So I'm wondering what could be the reason that this may have happened?

Is it possible that someone else from a different computer could do this (someone who has access to my network information, wireless router information including passwords. Someone who has lived in the same house with me.) ? How likely is this scenario from a technical standpoint? Is there a way I could check to see if for example and incoming connection was received to my system ? I suspect (if it is a possible scenario) that this is the case.

If this (above) is completely ridiculous, what else may have caused this, I am on Ubuntu 16.04.1 what is the most likely scenario? Is there any way I can check?

Forgive me if this sounds ridiculous, I am very new to Linux and completely unfamiliar with network security.

Thank you all in advance.

  • Unless you use encryption, someone with physical access could easily do this, for example, by using methods in http://askubuntu.com/q/24006/158442. – muru Nov 30 '16 at 11:15
  • Yes I assumed that would be true. There was no physical access, I'm wondering if it would be possible without and how likely. –  Nov 30 '16 at 11:38
  • Do you have SSH server installed? If so, anybody who knows/guesses your password could SSH to it from a local network and change it. Otherwise, unlikely. – muru Nov 30 '16 at 11:42
  • Can you please let me know how I can check to see if it's installed, if I have it running? Does it come with Ubuntu by default? Is there any logs I can check to see for incoming connections from other computers ? –  Nov 30 '16 at 11:58
  • But even if I do have it they would still have to be able to guess my computer password right ? –  Nov 30 '16 at 11:59
  • systemctl status ssh, for example. No, the server isn't installed by default. Depends on whether you have anything which listens for connections, for ssh, journalctl -u ssh. Yes, they'd have to guess your password. – muru Nov 30 '16 at 12:02
  • ● ssh.service Loaded: not-found (Reason: No such file or directory) Active: inactive (dead)

    and I get -- No entries -- for the second command.

    So without this would you say it's pretty impossible? Then what could the reason possibly be? Thanks so much for your help

     –  Nov 30 '16 at 12:06
  • Dunno if it's impossible. Pretty difficult, anyway. I can't say how it happened without examining the system. :/ – muru Nov 30 '16 at 12:12

0 Answers0