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Date: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 09:55:55 -0700
From: Darren Pilgrim <list_freebsd@bluerosetech.com>
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To: Aryeh Friedman <aryeh.friedman@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: setting the password of a automatically created account
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On 9/5/2013 6:52 PM, Aryeh Friedman wrote:
> I have a port that needs to create a a user of a given name and a given
> default password... I found in the porters guide how to make the account
> but not set the password

Because you must not do that.  You can't even reliably do that.  There 
are many cases where setting the password via any locally-available 
method will not work.  Some examples:

- The site uses LDAP, AD, etc. and the local system does not have the 
PAM configuration to feed back password changes;
- Passwd, pw, etc. are disabled and users may only change their password 
at a secure portal;
- Users may not change their passwords at all;
- The system doesn't use user passwords at all.

That last is common in in internet-facing servers, where login access is 
keys-only ssh and/or root-only console as a countermeasure against 
dictionary attacks.

Your port can't detect these policies and can't work around them.  The 
best you can do is include documentation stating what needs access above 
a login-disabled pseudouser.