samba - May 2019 - Incorrect Example in Samba User Management Documentation

Hi Samba documentation admins, one of the the examples given on this 
page https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/User_and_Group_management is 
incorrect and probably should be updated.

The snippet of code in question:

$ samba-tool user add fbaggins
   --random-password --use-username-as-cn
   --surname="Baggins" --given-name="Frodo"
   --initials=S --mail-address=fbaggins at SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL.
   --company="Hobbiton Inc." --script-path=shire.bat
   --profile-path=\\\\ADSMmeber.SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL\\profiles\\fbaggins
   --home-drive=F
   --home-directory=\\\\ADSMmeber.SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL\\fbaggins
   --job-title="Goes there and back again"

This won't work as presented currently. As I rediscovered myself 
recently the --random-password switch is intended ONLY to be used to 
secure system accounts that perform background tasks. Whilst 
--random-password sets a random password, the chosen password is 
deliberately and on purpose not revealed to the end user. So it cannot 
be used to create user accounts for human beings as the example in the 
documentation currently suggests.

Thanks
Stephen Ellwood

On Fri, 3 May 2019 10:45:43 +0100
Stephen via samba <samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
> Hi Samba documentation admins, one of the the examples given on this 
> page https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/User_and_Group_management is 
> incorrect and probably should be updated.
> 
> The snippet of code in question:
> 
> $ samba-tool user add fbaggins
>    --random-password --use-username-as-cn
>    --surname="Baggins" --given-name="Frodo"
>    --initials=S --mail-address=fbaggins at SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL.
>    --company="Hobbiton Inc." --script-path=shire.bat
>    --profile-path=\\\\ADSMmeber.SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL\\profiles\\fbaggins
>    --home-drive=F
>    --home-directory=\\\\ADSMmeber.SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL\\fbaggins
>    --job-title="Goes there and back again"
> 
> This won't work as presented currently. As I rediscovered myself 
> recently the --random-password switch is intended ONLY to be used to 
> secure system accounts that perform background tasks. Whilst 
> --random-password sets a random password, the chosen password is 
> deliberately and on purpose not revealed to the end user. So it
> cannot be used to create user accounts for human beings as the
> example in the documentation currently suggests.
> 
> Thanks
> Stephen Ellwood
> 
I have updated the wiki page as requested.

Rowland

Thanks Rowland.

Stephen

On 03/05/2019 11:52, Rowland Penny via samba wrote:
> On Fri, 3 May 2019 10:45:43 +0100
> Stephen via samba <samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
>
>> Hi Samba documentation admins, one of the the examples given on this
>> page https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/User_and_Group_management is
>> incorrect and probably should be updated.
>>
>> The snippet of code in question:
>>
>> $ samba-tool user add fbaggins
>>    --random-password --use-username-as-cn
>>    --surname="Baggins" --given-name="Frodo"
>>    --initials=S --mail-address=fbaggins at SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL.
>>    --company="Hobbiton Inc." --script-path=shire.bat
>>    --profile-path=\\\\ADSMmeber.SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL\\profiles\\fbaggins
>>    --home-drive=F
>>    --home-directory=\\\\ADSMmeber.SAM.DOMAIN.LOCAL\\fbaggins
>>    --job-title="Goes there and back again"
>>
>> This won't work as presented currently. As I rediscovered myself
>> recently the --random-password switch is intended ONLY to be used to
>> secure system accounts that perform background tasks. Whilst
>> --random-password sets a random password, the chosen password is
>> deliberately and on purpose not revealed to the end user. So it
>> cannot be used to create user accounts for human beings as the
>> example in the documentation currently suggests.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Stephen Ellwood
>>
> I have updated the wiki page as requested.
>
> Rowland
>