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Major macOS High Sierra Bug Allows Full Admin Access Without Password - How to Fix [Updated]
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If “show input menu” is checked, this works on Login Window too (logs you into root user).
I guess it’s because root doesn’t have any pw by default. See below
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I guess it’s because root doesn’t have any pw by default. See below
Its what happens when you have a clueless CEO running the operation. He thinks an iPad is a computer, so what do you expect.
The World's largest company with more cash than many countries, is too focused on their new spaceship campus than they are on basic computer science 101. I have been an Apple fan and advocate since 1984. But this is inexcusable! Stop worrying about the colors of the next watch bands and keep your eye on the ball on these basic fundamentals. What the hell are the thousands and thousands of employees doing??? I am beyond disappointed...
The first time you try it it won't work, because it has to enable the root user.
Wait for a second or two then try again. The second time should work.
Wait for a second or two then try again. The second time should work.
Nope -- the issue, it turns out, is that it re-enables automatically. Look back #347 where you see "/// WITHDRAW ///"
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iOS 11 and High Sierra are living proof of Apple's aggressive Yearly Major Updates are too much for them to handle. I have never seen Apple's software more buggy than now. Not just the big things but all the small stuff - it is Jost broken. Since 1996 I have been updating ASAP.
I have not installed High Sierra nor iOS 11. I am tired of being exploited as a Beta Tester without Signing up.
I said Beta. I meant Alpha !
I have not installed High Sierra nor iOS 11. I am tired of being exploited as a Beta Tester without Signing up.
I said Beta. I meant Alpha !
Well, at least Tim thinks he knows what a computer is. The kid in the latest Apple commercial has no clue.
Yep, I can confirm it did it for me. However you need to click the blue "Unlock" button a couple of times. Doesn't work 1st time.
Easy to fix. Just launch a Terminal window. Type in the first line below and hit return.
sudo passwd -u root
Password: <enter your password here>
Changing password for root.
New password: <enter a password for root user>
Retype new password: <enter same password again for root user>
Easy to fix. Just launch a Terminal window. Type in the first line below and hit return.
sudo passwd -u root
Password: <enter your password here>
Changing password for root.
New password: <enter a password for root user>
Retype new password: <enter same password again for root user>
100% this. Between issues with Messages app not showing the screen correctly or not showing me the input box at all, to where my Phone app "Recents" frequently is missing most of the current days calls, it's ridiculous.
The user does not need to be an admin user for this to happen. I have tested this on multiple High Sierra installs, both with admin and standard users. Giving root access to a standard user is kind of a big issue. Luckily, there are only two users on High Sierra where I work - my manager and me.
Nothing, they utilize the fact that folks will install anything Apple throws at them. The sooner everyone STOPS downloading the new versions - the sooner Apple will notice that folks are tired of beta testing and buggy software.
But in this day and age in the western world, people have nothing better to do than download the latest greatest in between work and reality tv.
That said, Apple could release Major versions every month and still be more stable than Windows...
iOS and macOS are master pieces.
Personally I would just wish they would slow down and not kill a version when it starts to become good and replace it with a less good version and kill that when it gets good
A lot of bugs in MacOS & iOS just now. I found and reported one in iOS 11, that doesn't happen in iOS 10.
This usually indicates a lack of focus by Apple on these areas. That the platforms are in maintenance and being looked after by the B team.
Which raises an interesting question: What are the A Team at Apple focused on right now?
This usually indicates a lack of focus by Apple on these areas. That the platforms are in maintenance and being looked after by the B team.
Which raises an interesting question: What are the A Team at Apple focused on right now?
Enter your own account password and it should unlock. I have no idea what's going on now.
`su - root` will deny me authorisation with empty password as well. I am sure this has to do with individual settings. I got 3 friends to test it and it did not work for them as well.
The root user is enabled only when you first press enter in the credentials window. That's why it often initially plays the reject animation (the account wasn't enabled yet), but then proceeds on the second enter (account is suddenly enabled).
Wow. I know I'm not adding anything to the discussion, but just feel the need to say it again: "Wow."
This is disastrous. Used to be that "the root user is disabled by default" was a held up as a real security feature. Apparently it's not only enabled, but trivial to access.
I'd love to know what the mistake was that causes this. This strikes me as a teachable moment if ever there was one.
This is disastrous. Used to be that "the root user is disabled by default" was a held up as a real security feature. Apparently it's not only enabled, but trivial to access.
I'd love to know what the mistake was that causes this. This strikes me as a teachable moment if ever there was one.
It has no impact until it does, and then it's basically keys to the kingdom. Usually a hacker has to be clever to get this level of access...
The second thing Apple should do is trace the change, figure out who did it, then prosecute them.
The fact that it's enabling root means it's not a bug, it's an intentional code insertion.
The fact that it's enabling root means it's not a bug, it's an intentional code insertion.
Only my home iMac. (Uni laptop not updated yet.). No other users. Not online until I am. And finally: I don’t store much of anything locally and my online life is an open book. I am not experiencing any anxiety.
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I really have no idea how to reproduce this on my end.
I tried all sorts of possible combination suggested here and the only way I could gain access to root is using my admin's account password (the only account I have). Any other garbage text and blank password in the password field and just do not work for me at all.
Running `su - ` or `su - root` did not work either.
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Can't get it to work with all the above combinations.
I tried all sorts of possible combination suggested here and the only way I could gain access to root is using my admin's account password (the only account I have). Any other garbage text and blank password in the password field and just do not work for me at all.
Running `su - ` or `su - root` did not work either.
[doublepost=1511917889][/doublepost]
I tried again. Entered root as the username in the first dialog box, left password blank. Entered root again in the second prompt, left password blank. And it worked!!
Can't get it to work with all the above combinations.