Adding or Modifying Principals

To add a principal to the database, use the kadmin add_principal command, which requires the "add" administrative privilege. This function creates the new principal, prompting twice for a password, and, if neither the -policy nor -clearpolicy options are specified and the policy "default" exists, assigns it that policy. The syntax is:

     kadmin: add_principal [options] principal
     

To modify attributes of a principal, use the kadmin modify_principal command, which requires the "modify" administrative privilege. The syntax is:

     kadmin: modify_principal [options] principal
     

add_principal has the aliases addprinc and ank¹. modify_principal has the alias modprinc.

The add_principal and modify_principal commands take the following switches:

-expire date

Sets the expiration date of the principal to date.

-pwexpire date

Sets the expiration date of the password to date.

-maxlife maxlife

Sets the maximum ticket life of the principal to maxlife.

-maxrenewlife maxrenewlife

Sets the maximum renewable life of tickets for the principal to maxrenewlife.

-kvno number

Explicity sets the key version number to number. MIT does not recommend doing this unless there is a specific reason.

-policy policy

Sets the policy used by this principal. (See Policies.) With modify_principal, the current policy assigned to the principal is set or changed. With add_principal, if this option is not supplied, the -clearpolicy is not specified, and the policy "default" exists, that policy is assigned. If a principal is created with no policy, kadmin will print a warning message.

-clearpolicy

For modify_principal, removes the current policy from a principal. For add_principal, suppresses the automatic assignment of the policy "default".

{-|+}allow_postdated

The "-allow_postdated" option prohibits this principal from obtaining postdated tickets. "+allow_postdated" clears this flag. In effect, "-allow_postdated" sets the KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_POSTDATED flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_forwardable

The "-allow_forwardable" option prohibits this principal from obtaining forwardable tickets. "+allow_forwardable" clears this flag. In effect, "-allow_forwardable" sets the KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_FORWARDABLE flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_renewable

The "-allow_renewable" option prohibits this principal from obtaining renewable tickets. "+allow_renewable" clears this flag. In effect, "-allow_renewable" sets the KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_RENEWABLE flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_proxiable

The "-allow_proxiable" option prohibits this principal from obtaining proxiable tickets. "+allow_proxiable" clears this flag. In effect, "-allow_proxiable" sets the
KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_PROXIABLE flag. on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_dup_skey

The "-allow_dup_skey" option disables user-to-user authentication for this principal by prohibiting this principal from obtaining a session key for another user. "+allow_dup_skey" clears this flag. In effect, "-allow_dup_skey" sets the
KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_DUP_SKEY flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}requires_preauth

The "+requires_preauth" option requires this principal to preauthenticate before being allowed to kinit. -requires_preauth clears this flag. In effect, +requires_preauth sets the KRB5_KDB_REQUIRES_PRE_AUTH flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}requires_hwauth

The "+requires_hwauth" flag requires the principal to preauthenticate using a hardware device before being allowed to kinit. "-requires_hwauth" clears this flag. In effect, "+requires_hwauth" sets the KRB5_KDB_REQUIRES_HW_AUTH flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_svr

The "-allow_svr" flag prohibits the issuance of service tickets for this principal. "+allow_svr" clears this flag. In effect, "-allow_svr" sets the
KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_SVR flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_tgs_req

The "-allow_tgs_req" option specifies that a Ticket-Granting Service (TGS) request for a service ticket for this principal is not permitted. You will probably never need to use this option. "+allow_tgs_req" clears this flag. The default is "+allow_tgs_req". In effect, "-allow_tgs_req" sets the KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_TGT_BASED flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}allow_tix

The "-allow_tix" option forbids the issuance of any tickets for this principal. "+allow_tix" clears this flag. The default is "+allow_tix". In effect, "-allow_tix" sets the
KRB5_KDB_DISALLOW_ALL_TIX flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}needchange

The "+needchange" option sets a flag in attributes field to force a password change; "-needchange" clears it. The default is "-needchange". In effect, "+needchange" sets the KRB5_KDB_REQUIRES_PWCHANGE flag on the principal in the database.

{-|+}password_changing_service

The "+password_changing_service" option sets a flag in the attributes field marking this principal as a password change service. (Again, you will probably never need to use this option.) "-password_changing_service" clears the flag. The default is "-password_changing_service". In effect, the "+password_changing_service" option sets the KRB5_KDB_PWCHANGE_SERVICE flag on the principal in the database.

-randkey

Sets the key for the principal to a random value (add_principal only). MIT recommends using this option for host keys.

-pw password

Sets the key of the principal to the specified string and does not prompt for a password (add_principal only). MIT does not recommend using this option.

-e enc:salt...

Uses the specified list of enctype-salttype pairs for setting the key of the principal. The quotes are necessary if there are multiple enctype-salttype pairs. This will not function against kadmin daemons earlier than krb5-1.2. See Supported Encryption Types and Salts for available types.

If you want to just use the default values, all you need to do is:

     kadmin: addprinc jennifer
     WARNING: no policy specified for "jennifer@ATHENA.MIT.EDU";
     defaulting to no policy.
     Enter password for principal jennifer@ATHENA.MIT.EDU:  <= Type the password.
     Re-enter password for principal jennifer@ATHENA.MIT.EDU:  <=Type it again.
     Principal "jennifer@ATHENA.MIT.EDU" created.
     kadmin:
     

If, on the other hand, you want to set up an account that expires on January 1, 2000, that uses a policy called "stduser", with a temporary password (which you want the user to change immediately), you would type the following. (Note: each line beginning with => is a continuation of the previous line.)

     
     kadmin: addprinc david -expire "1/1/2000 12:01am EST" -policy stduser
     =>  +needchange
     Enter password for principal david@ATHENA.MIT.EDU:  <= Type the password.
     Re-enter password for principal
     david@ATHENA.MIT.EDU:  <= Type it again.
     Principal "david@ATHENA.MIT.EDU" created.
     kadmin:
     

If you will need cross-realm authentication, you need to add principals for the other realm's TGT to each realm. For example, if you need to do cross-realm authentication between the realms ATHENA.MIT.EDU and EXAMPLE.COM, you would need to add the principals
krbtgt/EXAMPLE.COM@ATHENA.MIT.EDU and krbtgt/ATHENA.MIT.EDU@EXAMPLE.COM to both databases. You need to be sure the passwords and the key version numbers (kvno) are the same in both databases. This may require explicitly setting the kvno with the -kvno option. See Cross-realm Authentication for more details.