sudo-rs, the Rust-based sudo replacement shipping in Ubuntu 26.04, has enabled password feedback (asterisks) by default when entering passwords in the terminal. This breaks decades of Unix tradition where no feedback was shown to avoid revealing password length to shoulder surfers. The upstream developers justified the change as a major UX improvement for new Linux users, noting that virtually all other password interfaces already show asterisks. The change is controversial, with some users upset about the silent default change. Users who want to restore the old behavior can add 'Defaults !pwfeedback' to their sudo configuration.
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