March 21, 2026
Asterisks at dawn
Ubuntu 26.04 Ends 46 Years of Silent sudo Passwords
Tiny stars, big fight: Ubuntu adds password dots and the internet explodes
TLDR: Ubuntu 26.04 will show asterisks when you type your admin password, ending a decades‑old blank prompt. Fans say it’s a long‑overdue usability fix and mock the old “security theater,” while skeptics warn about revealing password length and remote logins—turning a tiny star into a big community brawl.
Ubuntu just poked a 46‑year‑old bear: starting with Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (due April 23), every character you type at the admin password prompt will show as an asterisk. For decades the screen stayed totally blank to stop onlookers from counting your keystrokes. The new logic? Even if it technically reveals password length, the usability win is bigger. And oh boy, the comments turned into a full‑blown family reunion fight. One side is cheering, calling the old behavior “terrible UX” and “security theater.” As user gzread snaps: “The security argument is a red herring.”
The other side is waving caution flags: not all passwords are local, some are for remote servers over SSH, and showing length can matter. eviks throws shade at the “it’s the same as your login” defense with “So hide the first one as well?” Meanwhile, nostalgia is trending: blfr mourns the loss of the mysterious blank prompt with a millennial midlife zinger about losing “boomer pleasures.” Practical fans point out that people thought the terminal was broken when nothing appeared; the stars make it obvious you’re typing. Power users counter with old‑school tricks like Ctrl+U to clear the line. Call it Ubuntu’s asterisk era: part quality‑of‑life upgrade, part culture war, and 100% comment‑section fireworks.
Key Points
- •Ubuntu 26.04 LTS will display an asterisk for each character typed at sudo password prompts by default.
- •The behavior is enabled via an upstream sudo-rs change that sets the pwfeedback option on by default.
- •Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Resolute Raccoon) is scheduled for release on April 23, 2026.
- •Silent sudo prompts date back to sudo’s 1980 origins, designed to deter shoulder surfing by obscuring password length.
- •Linux Mint previously enabled visual password feedback in its sudo configuration, establishing prior precedent.