Post-login - sudo elevation
For all SSH sessions, I used one universal setting and it worked. Waiting for `password` works even for distros that have no text at all. But with Ubuntu 26, this stopped working because the text changed.
This also works for RHEL. But however you look at it, waiting for a specific word is a very hacky method. Can't you make a smart password input based on console readiness / line change?
ubuntu24, keyword `password`
sudo -i
[sudo] password for name:
ubuntu26, keyword `password`
sudo -i
name@name:~$ sudo -i
[sudo: authenticate] Password:
ubuntu26, keyword `sudo`
sudo -i
[sudo: authenticate] Password:
debian 11+, no keyword:
sudo -i
[sudo] password for awx:
Sorry, try again.
xen:
sudo -i
# ^C
изображение.png
All Comments (8)
Hi @Tristis Oris
You are right, waiting for a specific word is a hack (as well as using delays). We are doing it this way because there are no standard way of knowing the server is ready for a command: there are no mandatory escape sequences sent around the prompt, and the prompt text changes from server to server and also changes on a single server depending on some mode or permission level. I am looking into something called "shell integration", but there are no standards there too. And that would only solve "command readiness", there are commands (like sudo) that have their own special prompts and no standard (again) to know when there are prompting.
And that is only about linux/unix servers. There are other non unix devices with wildly different behaviours (I am looking at you Cisco) making the definition of some heuristics for prompt detection quite difficult if not impossible. The reasonable approach would be to concentrate on linux servers which are the most frequent. But linux comes in many forms with many different shells, often customized by their users.
To summarize: using words and delays has its limitations, I am looking at what could be done to make a more reliable automation for terminals, the solution will probably be limited to unix type shells, and it may require some customization of the shell's resources. Also, at this point, I can't tell you when that might be ready.
Regards
Denis Vincent
If there's no proper way, how about adding an enumeration?
word1|word2|..
That's an interesting suggestion. We could do it using regex expressions.
That makes me think that, right now, you don't have to match the whole prompt. For exemple, if you are waiting for a prompt of the style:
[sudo] password for username:
where username can change, you can wait for:
password for
and that will be enough to trig the next step of the post login command sequence.
I hope that helps until we provide an improvement.
Regards
Denis Vincent
Right now this field is case sensitive) so it doesn't work with 26.
Yes, as I was writing my last message, I realized that the match is indeed case sensitive and that it makes it less useful.
It is also something easy to change, so I will open a ticket and make it case insensitive right away.
Regards
Denis Vincent
Hello,
Starting from the upcoming RDM 2026.2.18.0 the case sensitive issue should be fixed.
Best Regards,
Michaël Beaudin
Hello,
Thank you for being so patient!
I'm pleased to inform you that a new version of RDM (2026.2.18.0) has been released, featuring the fix for your issue.
Latest Version: Download RDM
Please let us know if this works or if you encounter any issues.
Best regards,
Maxim Robert
It works, thank you.