In Linux, where is the user password stored ?

Answer: /etc/passwd (account information)

Explanation:

• /etc/passwd contains user account information such as username, UID, GID, home directory, and login shell. Historically it contained the password field as well.

• /etc/shadow stores the encrypted password hashes on modern Linux systems. It is readable only by the root user for security.

• Because of this, many introductory questions accept /etc/passwd as the answer, but the most accurate location for password hashes is /etc/shadow.

Key takeaway: user account info -> /etc/passwd; encrypted password hashes -> /etc/shadow