What does the /etc/passwd- file stand for?

Solution Verified - Updated -

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (All Versions)
  • PAM

Issue

  • What does the /etc/passwd- file stand for?
  • What do the files /etc/passwd-, /etc/group-, /etc/shadow-, or /etc/gshadow- stand for?

Resolution

  • While changing the /etc/passwd, such as adding a new user, the original /etc/passwd file will be saved as /etc/passwd-.

  • This phenomenon applies to /etc/shadow-, /etc/gshadow and /etc/group- files as well. When these files are changed, the old file will be saved ending with a dash "-". Thus, these are nothing but the backup files.

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