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Is it common for technical support to ask for root password?
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Comments
What are you trying to have fixed? How can they fix it without access?
Its normal only if they NEED it to help with whatever you need help with.
@ItsChrisG @SSDBlaze
I always thought they had vnc access or something.
But my problem is I can not connect to SSH on my vps and I just tried to ping it and nothing ether.
If thats the case they surely would need your root password to check network configuration in the files of the OS, if improper they're fixed or else they'll do a little troubleshooting session.
They don't always have VNC access. With your problem, I'd say they want it to try to login to your VPS but they should first just see if they can connect before asking for your root password.
@ItsChrisG is right, sometimes people don't want to give it to support but they need it to help in some cases
Be sure to paste it into their super duper secure WHMCS ticket system for them.
@SSDBlaze @BharatB @ItsChrisG
Ok thanks guys - just found it weird is all (Never had problems like this)
SSDBlaze yea it looked like he just asked for password first before anything so I was like huh?
Yeah, some companies ask for it upfront so they don't have to worry about it later. I don't like to do that cause I know its private information so I ask for it only if its required.
@kcaj
lol, I did it to, but something is wrong, I do not understand how I am still getting connection issues even when I reinstall the VPS OS. lets see what happens - if anything I will reinstall the OS and change passwords
If it is running OpenVZ, the company should be able to access it directly using "vzctl enter (server_id)."
Apart from that, I'd suggest that you change the password to something temporary and change it back to your original password after the technical support completes their task.
I wouldn't mind them asking for the root password to be honest.
In fact if I opened a ticket and they went snooping in my VPS (even to fix it) without asking that would probably annoy me.
If possible I would change the root pass (in SolusVM if you can't access SSH) to something like "temppass" (example) and then change it back after they're done.
^^ This ^^
Not unusual when trying to figure out network/connect problems with a KVM VPS. When trying to see what you see.
Wouldn't it be more easy to just use "passwd" ?
Yeah but that was an example aimed at the OP as he said he couldn't access SSH
Updated my comment anyway
I ask it as a proof the customer authorized me to check his VPS, no matter if OVZ, KVM, whatever. I make it clear in the request they should change it after the intervention in any case.
This only if it is not absolutely clear the customer authorizes me to investigate, for example when they specifically ask it in the ticket.
Otherwise, while I have VNC, for example, in KVM, still need the root password or to change it in order to check stuff, simply mounting the disk may not suffice. With VNC you can boot in single user mode and change the pass, but this may not be what the customer wants, even if the intervention is required by them.
Most of the companies I use will ask for root password, not a big deal to me because I can just change the password after or set a temp one.
"Privacy" in 2015... Good luck
If OpenVZ: Solus console. If KVM/Xen: VNC.
If you can't get in through one of those, then you forgot your root password and shouldn't be allowed to use a VPS
@mikeyur
If you can not read or understand a 3 line thread you should not reply
@mpkossen Please close this thread I got my answer - thanks everyone.
Who uses passwords these days anyway...
@ATHK
Yea I know I should have that key file method thingy - :-/
Do you need help setting up ?
@BharatB No thanks I am just so tired and can not think straight - thanks though.
It's always best to ask for the root password as just using vzctl enter and fixing the problem shows that no matter what you can always enter their VPS without their permission.
It also gives in writing that they have given you permission to login to their machine, so you can't come back with saying you didn't give them permission.
This is the key of my thinking.
No, technical support will install backdoor on your vps, next time they just terminate your vps and blame you for send ddos or abusing the resources