How to manage reset and verify VM passwords in CMP?

Compute
byAkshay

Introduction

Managing a secure password is an important part of protecting your virtual machines from unauthorized access. CMP provides an easy way to change or reset the password associated with a virtual machine directly from the Cloud Dashboard.

This guide explains how to change or reset a VM password, verify the new credentials on Linux and Windows virtual machines, recover from account lockout situations, and manage password expiration settings. Following these steps helps ensure that your virtual machine remains secure and accessible using the updated credentials.

Steps to Change or Reset a VM Password

Step 1: Sign in to the CMP Cloud Portal

Access the CMP Cloud Dashboard using your registered account credentials.

Step 2: Select Your Virtual Machine

Go to the Virtual Machines section.

Locate and select the virtual machine for which you want to update the password.

Step 3: Open the Action Menu

Click the Action drop-down menu available next to the selected virtual machine.

Step 4: Choose “Set Password”

From the Action menu, select Set Password.

Step 5: Enter a Secure Password

Enter the new password that you want to assign to the virtual machine.

Strong Password Guidelines:

  • Use a minimum of 12–16 characters.
  • Include uppercase and lowercase letters.
  • Include numbers.
  • Include special characters such as @, #, $, etc.
  • Avoid easily guessable words such as password123 or your name.
  • Do not reuse old passwords.

Step 6: Save the Changes

Click the Set button to apply the new password.

Once the password update is completed successfully, use the updated credentials to log in to the virtual machine.

Verify Login After Resetting the Password

After changing the password, verify that the new credentials are working correctly before closing any active sessions.

For Linux Virtual Machines

  • Open a new terminal window.
  • Connect to the server using SSH.
Bash
ssh username@<VM_IP>
  • Enter the newly configured password when prompted.
  • Confirm that you can log in successfully using the new password.

Important:

Only close your existing SSH session after confirming that the new login works properly.

For Windows Virtual Machines

  • Launch Remote Desktop Connection (RDP).
  • Enter the VM’s IP address.
  • Enter the username.
  • Enter the newly created password.
  • Verify that the Remote Desktop session opens successfully.

Account Lockout Situations

A virtual machine account may become locked if the operating system detects repeated unsuccessful login attempts.

Common Reasons for Account Lockout

Account lockout can occur due to the following reasons:

  • Entering the wrong password multiple times while connecting through SSH or RDP.
  • Applications or automation scripts continuing to use an outdated password after it has been changed.
  • Security policies within the operating system detecting possible brute-force login attempts.

Recovering from an Account Lockout

Recommended Method: Reset the Password Through CMP

Follow these steps to reset the VM password through CMP:

Step 1: Log in to the CMP Cloud Dashboard

Log in to the CMP Cloud Dashboard using your registered account credentials.

Step 2: Select the Affected Virtual Machine

Open the Virtual Machines list and select the affected virtual machine.

Step 3: Open the Action Menu

Click Action and choose Set Password.

Step 4: Enter a New Secure Password

Enter a new secure password for the virtual machine.

Step 5: Save the Password

Click Set to save the new password.

Step 6: Wait for the Update

Wait approximately 1–2 minutes for the password update to take effect.

Step 7: Try Logging In Again

Try logging in to the virtual machine again using the newly configured password.

Password Expiration Policy

The password aging policy for Linux virtual machines is managed by Linux itself.

Check Current Password Expiration Settings

To check the current password expiration settings for a Linux user, run:

Bash
chage -l username

Disable Password Expiration

To disable password expiration for a user account, run:

Bash
sudo chage -M -1 username

If the password has already expired, Linux will request that you create a new password during the next SSH login.

Windows Virtual Machines

Windows may enforce password expiration through Local Group Policy or Active Directory settings.

If your session is blocked because of an expired password, use the CMP Cloud Dashboard to reset the VM password using the Set Password option.

After resetting the password:

  • Log in to the Windows virtual machine.
  • Verify that the new credentials work correctly.
  • Update the operating-system-level password policy as required.

Conclusion

Managing a VM password in CMP allows you to securely change or reset virtual machine credentials directly from the Cloud Dashboard. After resetting the password, always verify the new credentials through SSH for Linux VMs or RDP for Windows VMs before closing existing sessions.

If a VM account becomes locked, reset the password through CMP and allow approximately 1–2 minutes for the change to take effect before attempting to log in again. Linux administrators can also review password expiration settings using the chage command, while Windows password expiration may be controlled through Local Group Policy or Active Directory.

Following these procedures helps maintain secure and reliable access to your virtual machines.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I change a VM password in CMP?

Log in to the CMP Cloud Dashboard, open Virtual Machines, select the required VM, click Action, choose Set Password, enter the new password, and click Set.

2. What should a secure VM password contain?

A secure password should contain at least 12–16 characters and include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. Avoid common words and previously used passwords.

3. How can I verify a new password on a Linux VM?

Open a new terminal and connect using SSH:

Bash
ssh username@<VM_IP>

Enter the newly configured password and confirm that the login is successful.

4. How can I verify a new password on a Windows VM?

Launch Remote Desktop Connection (RDP), enter the VM’s IP address and username, provide the new password, and verify that the Remote Desktop session opens successfully.

5. Why can a VM account become locked?

An account can become locked after repeated unsuccessful login attempts. Outdated credentials used by applications or automation scripts can also cause repeated failed authentication attempts.

6. How do I recover a locked VM account?

Use the CMP Cloud Dashboard to select the affected VM, open Action, choose Set Password, configure a new secure password, and click Set. Wait approximately 1–2 minutes before trying to log in again.

7. How do I check password expiration on Linux?

Run the following command:

Bash
chage -l username

This displays the current password expiration settings for the specified Linux user.

8. How do I disable password expiration for a Linux user?

Bash
sudo chage -M -1 username

This disables password expiration for the specified user account.