We have already discussed one method to change the login shell of a user by changing the shell value in /etc/passwd file by using the command USERMOD. Shell is a program that takes your commands from the keyboard and gives them to the operating system to perform. Here I am explaining one another simple method to change the login shell of a user with help of the command ‘chsh‘.
All shells are listed in /etc/shells, see the example below:
root@crybit [~]# cat /etc/shells
/bin/sh
/bin/bash
/sbin/nologin
/bin/tcsh
/bin/csh
/usr/local/cpanel/bin/jailshell
/bin/ftpsh
/usr/local/cpanel/bin/noshell
The ‘chsh‘ command usage with examples:
Syntax:
# chsh [options] [user]
Switches:
1, -s, –shell
Specify your login shell.
2, -l, –list-shells
Print the list of shells listed in /etc/shells and exit.
3, -u, –help
Print a usage message and exit.
4, -v, –version
Print version information and exit.
How to change the login shell of a user?
Syntax:
# chsh -s /new/shell username
Example:
root@crybit [~]# grep crybit /etc/passwd
crybit:x:32011:32012::/home/crybit:/bin/bash
------
root@crybit [~]# chsh -s /sbin/nologin crybit
Changing shell for crybit.
Shell changed.
------
root@crybit [~]# grep crybit /etc/passwd
crybit:x:32011:32012::/home/crybit:/sbin/nologin
That’s it !!! 🙂
Related Links:
Command to find out the current shell
[USERMOD]How to change the shell for an already existing user – Unix/Linux
The usermod
