---
name: "table_passwd"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "opensmtpd-extras"
version: "5.7.1-4+b2"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/table_passwd"
---

# table\_passwd(5)

format description for smtpd passwd tables

## NAME

**table\_passwd** – format description for smtpd passwd tables

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page documents the file format of "passwd" tables used by the [smtpd(8)](/smtpd/8.md) mail daemon.

The format described here applies to tables as defined in [smtpd.conf(5)](/smtpd.conf/5.md).

## PASSWD TABLE

A "passwd" table stores information regarding local users. The information is encoded using the traditional [passwd(5)](/passwd/5.md) format and allows the sharing of a user database across different software supporting this format.

The table is used by [smtpd(8)](/smtpd/8.md) when authenticating a user or when user information such as user-id or home directory is required for a delivery.

A "passwd" table consists of a flat file containing the user entries, each one on a line by itself, with fields separated by a colon:

```
gilles:*:1000:1000:Gilles:/home/gilles:/sbin/nologin
eric:*:1001:1001:Eric:/home/eric:/sbin/nologin
chl:*:1002:1002:Charles:/home/chl:/sbin/nologin
```

If the table is used for authentication, the second field may contain a password encrypted using the [crypt(3)](/crypt/3.md) function. Such passwords can be generated using the [encrypt(1)](/encrypt/1.md) utility or [smtpctl(8)](/smtpctl/8.md) encrypt command.

## SEE ALSO

[passwd(5)](/passwd/5.md), [smtpd.conf(5)](/smtpd.conf/5.md), [smtpctl(8)](/smtpctl/8.md), [smtpd(8)](/smtpd/8.md)