Better alternative for getpass function

Question

Today I was codding something and at some point I needed the getpass function, and everything was OK, well at least until I used --std=c11 and i got:

error: implicit declaration of function ‘getpass’ [-Werror=implicit-function-declaration]|

On internet i found that this function is considered obsolete.:

The getpass() function is not threadsafe because it manipulates global signal state.

The getpass() function is scheduled to be withdrawn from a future version of the X/Open CAE Specification.

So I cannot use it, at least not if I compile with --std=c11.

The program which I tried looks like this:

#include<stdio.h>
#include<unistd.h>
#include<string.h>
#include<stdlib.h>

    int main(void){
        char checkPasswd[BUFSIZ] = "iajsdiajsda32121312asda:ubuntu";
        char *checkName = "michi";

        char name[25];
        char *passwd;
        char *delimiter;

        printf("Login Name:\t");
        scanf("%24s" ,name);

        delimiter = strchr(checkPasswd, ':');
        delimiter[0] = '\0';
        delimiter++;

        passwd = getpass("Give a passwd:\t");

        if(strcmp(name,checkName) == 0){
             if(strcmp(passwd,delimiter) == 0){
                printf("Logged In\n\n");
             }else{
                printf("\t\t\tWrong Password\n");
                exit(1);
             }
        }else{
            printf("\t\t\tWrong Name\n");
            exit(1);
        }

        printf("\t\t\tWelcome %s\n\n", name);
        return 0;
    }

I read something here ==>> Getting a password in C without using getpass (3)? and there is also some Answers but I was wondering if there is am easy way before i try what i found there, something similar to:

passwd = getpass("Give a passwd:\t");

Or I have to create it my self ?

This program doesn't do what I need:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <termios.h>

int main(void){
    struct termios oflags, nflags;
    char password[64];

    tcgetattr(fileno(stdin), &oflags);
    nflags = oflags;
    nflags.c_lflag &= ~ECHO;
    nflags.c_lflag |= ECHONL;

    if (tcsetattr(fileno(stdin), TCSANOW, &nflags) != 0) {
        perror("tcsetattr");
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    printf("password: ");
    fgets(password, sizeof(password), stdin);
    password[strlen(password) - 1] = 0;
    printf("you typed '%s'\n", password);

    if (tcsetattr(fileno(stdin), TCSANOW, &oflags) != 0) {
        perror("tcsetattr");
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    return 0;
}

So the question is, do I have to write it my self or there is an Alternative function ?

Where did you get `#include ` from? It's not in the accepted answer on the linked question. — ecatmur, Sep 04 '15 at 10:55
possible duplicate of [Getting a password in C without using getpass (3)?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1196418/getting-a-password-in-c-without-using-getpass-3) — too honest for this site, Sep 04 '15 at 10:56
@olaf I just suggested that link in my Question, I need something else or I will have to write it my self . — Michi, Sep 04 '15 at 11:02
@olaf Thank you for closing my Question and showed me something which doesn't help me at all. You did not read my question. — Michi, Sep 04 '15 at 11:10
I need something like "password = function();" and that answer have to much code inside. I will implement my self function. — Michi, Sep 04 '15 at 11:33
0) I very well did. 1) I did not close, just voted. At lest one person apparently agrees. 2) you did not clarfy why the accepted answer does not work for you. As @ecatmur stated, you did not follow it, but do not even state why. — too honest for this site, Sep 04 '15 at 11:37
And I want a big lobster for dinner, or I will stomp on the floor. So I have to work for it. What is your point? — too honest for this site, Sep 04 '15 at 11:38
@Olaf Sir, i am sorry but i know that I did not asked the write question, i only needed to know if there is a function like getpass which is not complicate to use it. That's all. Sorry Again. — Michi, Sep 04 '15 at 11:39
It is! In the dup question's answers. just put that into a function. — too honest for this site, Sep 04 '15 at 11:40
@Olaf i wiil try it latter, i have to go work now. Thank you. — Michi, Sep 04 '15 at 11:40

user3121023 · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-04T14:42:15.880

If your terminal supports these escape codes, this will conceal what you type for a password.

#include <stdio.h>

void UserPW ( char *pw, size_t pwsize) {
    int i = 0;
    int ch = 0;

    printf ( "\033[8m");//conceal typing
    while ( 1) {
        ch = getchar();
        if ( ch == '\r' || ch == '\n' || ch == EOF) {//get characters until CR or NL
            break;
        }
        if ( i < pwsize - 1) {//do not save pw longer than space in pw
            pw[i] = ch;       //longer pw can be entered but excess is ignored
            pw[i + 1] = '\0';
        }
        i++;
    }
    printf ( "\033[0A");//move cursor up one line
    printf ( "\033[21C");//move cursor 21 places
    while ( i) {
        printf ( "*");//overwrite password on screen. this is still concealed
        i--;
    }
    printf ( "\033[28m");//reveal typing
}

int main ( ) {
    char password[20];

    printf ( "Enter your password: ");
    fflush ( stdout);//prompt does not have '\n' so make sure it prints
    UserPW ( password, sizeof ( password));//password array and size
    printf ( "\nentered [%s]\n", password);//instead of printing you would verify the entered password
    return 0;
}

So the Answer is, Yes I have to implement it my self. Thank you works. — Michi, Sep 04 '15 at 11:23

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 04 '15 at 12:14

Let me just give a few comments in your own writing:

getpass() only reads 8 characters, so don't use it.

Own code should be written in a way that permits to detect whether the user entered more characters than expected.

filedes.h does not exist and is not needed.

The paswd is usually read either from /dev/tty or from stderr.

If you do not catch important signals, the code may leave the tty in an unusable state.

See the UNIX source code for a working implementation:

http://sourceforge.net/p/schillix-on/schillix-on/ci/default/tree/usr/src/lib/libc/port/stdio/getpass.c

Better alternative for getpass function

2 Answers2

Linked