In a notable shift scheduled for Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, the sudo command will now display asterisks when users type their passwords. This marks a significant change in a tradition that has been in place for over 40 years, where no feedback was given while entering a password.
Previously, entering a password with sudo would result in a blank screen, leaving users uncertain if their inputs were registered. Users of Linux Mint, for example, have enjoyed the use of password feedback for some time. Historically, sudo’s silent input method was designed with security in mind. This design aimed to prevent anyone who might be observing from determining the length of the password and potentially guessing it.
However, with the introduction of sudo-rs—a version of sudo rewritten in Rust—developers have determined that the security risk of revealing password length is minimal. They believe the trade-off favors user experience, particularly for newcomers who often find the lack of visual feedback confusing.
The switch in Ubuntu has understandably stirred mixed reactions within the community. Some long-time users are concerned about this deviation from a long-standing standard. A bug report lodged against the change expressed discontent, stating it contradicts decades of tradition. Yet, this issue was marked by Ubuntu developers as "Won’t Fix," and upstream sudo-rs developers have similarly stood their ground.
Currently, the only way to revert to the traditional method of silence is to modify the /etc/sudoers file to disable password feedback explicitly.
As Ubuntu 26.04 LTS approaches its release on April 23, 2026, users can expect this significant change and the accompanying adjustments from Ubuntu’s previous iterations.
For further information, you can read about the change in Rust-based sudo.