Ubuntu 26.04 will end the 46-year-old Unix tradition of silent sudo password prompts, requiring visual feedback for password entry. This change addresses security concerns where users might not realize they're entering passwords in a sudo context. The update reflects modern security practices while breaking from historical Unix behavior.
Background
The sudo command in Unix-like systems has historically allowed silent password prompts without visual feedback, a behavior dating back to Unix's early design decisions. This has created security risks where users might accidentally enter passwords in wrong contexts.
- Source
- Hacker News (RSS)
- Published
- Mar 21, 2026 at 01:06 PM
- Score
- 7.0 / 10