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schroeder
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What is the point of storing hashed passwords? If that file is read, doesn't that mean the computer has already been compromised?

Why is it necessary to store operating system passwords hashed? From what I've learned, passwords are stored on the hard drive/SSD in /etc/shadow. However, if a malicious agent was able to get access to this file, doesn't that mean they can potentially access all the user's other files? If so, what is the point of cracking the password if you already have access to everything?