kadm5

kadm5 is a command-line utility used for administering the Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC). It is part of the MIT Kerberos distribution and is primarily used by KDC administrators to manage principals, policies, and other Kerberos database entries.

The command allows administrators to perform a variety of tasks. These include adding new principals, which are typically user accounts or service identities, deleting existing principals, and modifying principal attributes such as passwords, expiration times, and flags. kadm5 also enables the management of policies, which define rules for password aging, encryption types, and other security-related aspects of principals.

Key functionalities of kadm5 include listing principals, querying their attributes, and renaming them. It can also be used to set or change principal keys, though this is a sensitive operation typically performed with caution. The tool interacts directly with the Kerberos database, making it a crucial component for maintaining the security and integrity of the Kerberos environment.

Access to kadm5 is restricted to authorized administrators, as its misuse could compromise the security of the entire Kerberos realm. The command requires administrative credentials to operate, and its usage is often logged for auditing purposes. Understanding and properly utilizing kadm5 is essential for anyone responsible for managing a Kerberos infrastructure.