How to unlock the VCF/Root accounts in VMware SDDC Manager after too many incorrect login attempts

Products

• VMware Cloud Foundation

Issue/Introduction

This article helps to regain access to locked out account.
User accounts locked due to various incorrect log in attempts.

Environment

• VMware Cloud foundation 5.x
• VMware Cloud Foundation 3.x
• VMware Cloud Foundation 4.x

Cause

User accounts locked due to various incorrect log in attempts.

Resolution

This issue can occur due to multiple incorrect login attempts. Its not a bug rather by design. KB is present to regain access.

Workaround:

To unlock the VCF account, please use the steps mentioned below:

1. In a Web Browser, log into the vCenter Web Client. 

2. Navigate to, and open a VM console, to VMware SDDC Manager VM.

3. From the console, log in with the root account. 

4. Run the following command to reset the VCF account:

For VCF versions up to VCF 5.0.0.1(Photon OS 3.0), use

pam_tally2 --reset --user vcf
pam_tally2 --reset --user root

For VCF versions starting from VCF 5.1.0.0(Photon OS 4.0 onwards), use

faillock --reset --user vcf
faillock --reset --user root

5. Reset the password  of the VCF account or the root account using the command below and enter a new password when prompted:

passwd vcf
passwd root

6. Verify that the VCF account is now able to login by attempting a new SSH session.

 

Additional Information

To reset the root password for the SDDC Manager when the root password is locked out or unknown, refer to the following KB: 

How to reset the VRM, SDDC Manager Controller, SDDC Manager Utility, VIA or Cloud Builder root user password(330357)