Reset user password via CLI¶

The reset-password.py script allows administrators to reset a user's password directly in the database. This is useful when:

A user has forgotten their password and cannot use the self-service password reset
You need to quickly set a temporary password for a new user
Troubleshooting authentication issues

MongoDB provider only

This script only works for users stored in the default MongoDB provider. It does not work for users authenticated via external providers such as LDAP, Active Directory, or OAuth.

Running in Docker¶

The script is not included in the SeaCat Auth Docker image. To run it, you need to download the script and copy it into a running container.

Prerequisites¶

A running SeaCat Auth container (in the examples below, the container is named seacat-auth)
Access to the same MongoDB database that SeaCat Auth is configured to use

Step 1: Download the script¶

Download the script from the GitHub repository:

curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/TeskaLabs/seacat-auth/main/scripts/reset-password.py

Step 2: Copy the script into the container¶

Copy the downloaded script into the running SeaCat Auth container:

docker cp reset-password.py seacat-auth:/tmp/reset-password.py

Step 3: Execute the script¶

Run the script inside the container using docker exec:

docker exec -it seacat-auth python3 /tmp/reset-password.py

The script will:

Connect to MongoDB using the configuration from /conf/seacatauth.conf
Prompt you for the username to reset
Display the matching user details for confirmation
Ask for the new password (entered twice for verification)
Update the password hash in the database

Step 4: Clean up (optional)¶

Remove the script from the container when done:

docker exec seacat-auth rm /tmp/reset-password.py

Example session¶

$ curl -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/TeskaLabs/seacat-auth/main/scripts/reset-password.py
$ docker cp reset-password.py seacat-auth:/tmp/reset-password.py
$ docker exec -it seacat-auth python3 /tmp/reset-password.py
Enter username to reset password for: jsmith

User found:
  ID:         6478a2b3c4d5e6f7a8b9c0d1
  Username:   jsmith
  Email:      john.smith@example.com
  Phone:      N/A
  Suspended:  False

Is this the correct user? [y/N]: y
Enter new password:
Confirm new password:

Password successfully updated for user 'jsmith'.

Running outside Docker¶

If you need to run the script outside of a container (for example, during development):

python scripts/reset-password.py -c /path/to/seacatauth.conf

The -c (or --config) option specifies the path to the SeaCat Auth configuration file. If omitted, it defaults to /conf/seacatauth.conf.

Configuration requirements¶

The script reads MongoDB connection details from the [mongo] section of the configuration file:

[mongo]
uri=mongodb://localhost:27017
database=seacat_auth

Ensure the configuration file is readable by the user running the script (or the container).