Bug#819500: general: Debian 8.3 CLI reboot using "init 6" shows username & password in plain text.

[Santiago Vila]

On Wed, Mar 30, 2016 at 06:57:39AM +1300, beagleburt wrote:
> Package: general
> Severity: normal
> 
> Dear Maintainer,
> 
> * CLI command "shutdown -r now" USUALLY does not work, since systemd replaced
> sysvinit in Debian 8 "jessie".
> Posted problem on http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/debian-26/used-to-
> shutdown-reboot-from-cli-but-since-systemd-replaced-init-shutdown-cmnd-
> broke-4175575779/ got advice to try commmand "init 6". When I try it, I USUALLY
> arrive - eventually - at a console login that reports errors - but amongst the
> confusing information are the username & password IN PLAIN TEXT! I also had a
> single occurrence of my root password split over two lines also in plain text!
> Basically the reboot & shutdown commands from the CLI are REALLY buggy!
> 
> Another respondent to my query on LQ.org suggested using: "systemctl reboot"
> this resulted eventually in poweroff/shutdown.
> 
> The MOST annoying part of this bug is its variability: OCCASSIONALLY the
> commands work ok! But USUALLY not! Also SOMETIMES on booting-up again after an
> unwanted forced-shutdown, the machine powers off without warning USUALLY before
> the graphical Login appears & ONCE after an apparently successful login?

Hi.

If the machine powers off without warning, it is quite likely that you
have a hardware problem.

Hardware problems are often random and unpredictable, but they are not
software bugs, so they do not usually have a place in the Debian bug system.

I would start by checking memory with the memtest86+ package. After
installing the package, you have to reboot and choose the new GRUB
menu entry that it's added automatically.

Also, I would try to install Debian in a different computer and
configure it identically. If you experience similar problems, then
yes, it could be a bug. But if the problem vanishes, you would have a
good confirmation that your hardware is faulty (random power offs
are already a sign for that).

If you need more help, please ask in debian-user mailing list.

Thanks.