Manual talk:Resetting passwords

WikiSysop
The only reason to manually reset the password is when you don't have sysop privileges to reset user passwords.

Here's the SQL for MySQL and for MediaWiki version 1.13 and later. It is done in one statement and only requires putting the password in one location.

Reset user_newpassword
In the SQL commands it is much better to set the user_newpassword field instead of the user_password field. The user_newpassword field will prompt you to change the password. If a troll is trying to find out how to hack into a Wiki, this will keep the same password. It is only slightly more secure than the other way, but every little bit helps. --Randyrls (talk) 12:03, 17 March 2012 (UTC)

Change password for usernames with spaces
Not entirely clarified in the article.

Syntax to change a password for a username containing spaces, use quotes. Contrary to the article, the entered password would not work unless quoted too.

tested on version 1.20.3

Wrong pointer for using Special:PasswordReset in links
is suggested as a way to automatically insert usernames in links, however this is not working at all here with 1.26.2, neither as a wikilink or by entering that in the search box no matter if I use it as is, the localized version, or anything in-between. The link returns a "Special page not found" error. --Tactica amiga (talk) 12:37, 1 May 2016 (UTC)

'passwordreset' permission?
I have been searching if 'passwordreset' is a user right (permission?) that can be set in the $wgGroupPermission array, but can't find any documentation on this. What I did discover is the 'editmyprivateinfo' user right also controls whether the user can request a password reset. If set to false for group(s) then no user in those groups can reset their password. Make sure at least the bureaucrats can in case of emergencies!

Put this in LocalSettings.php if you want to prevent users from resetting their wiki password (useful when authentication is done outside of MediaWiki):

$wgGroupPermission['*']['editmyprivateinfo'] = false; $wgGroupPermission['bureaucrat']['editmyprivateinfo'] = true;