How do I prevent the password from being displayed by the UNIX ps command?
On some UNIX platforms and in some versions, isql for UNIX allows the password to be displayed when you run the ps command. Newer versions of isql try to overtype the password string so that it does not display with ps. However, depending on how the operating system stores the password string, this strategy may not be successful. The password is revealed in the ps output only in cases where isql is launched with the password in the command line. Some ways to avoid putting the password in the command line are: • Use the command line -i option rather than the shell redirect (<). isql then displays the password: prompt. % isql -U username -i input.sql -o output.out Password: password • Write a script, placing the password in the first line that isql receives from standard input. isql -U username « EOF password 1> use database 2> go 1> sp_help 2> go 1> quit EOF • Echo the password and pipe it into isql.
