How to Password Protect GRUB

STEP 1: Create a password for GRUB, be a root user and open command prompt, type below command. When prompted type grub password twice and press enter. This will return MD5 hash password. Please copy or note it down.

[root@tecmint ~]#  grub-md5-crypt

Sample Output:

[root@tecmint ~]# grub-md5-crypt
Password: 
Retype password: 
$1$19oD/1$NklcucLPshZVoo5LvUYEp1

Step 2: Now you need to open the /boot/grub/menu.lst or /boot/grub/grub.conf file and add the MD5 password. Both files are same and symbolic link to each other.

[root@tecmint ~]# vi /boot/grub/menu.lst

OR

[root@tecmint ~]# vi /boot/grub/grub.conf

Note : I advise you to take backup of the files before making any changes to it, if in case something goes wrong you can revert it.


STEP 3: Add the newly created MD5 password in GRUB configuration file. Please paste copied password below timeout line and save it and exit. For example, Enter the line password –md5 <add the copied md5 string from step 1> above.

# grub.conf generated by anaconda
#
# Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
# NOTICE:  You have a /boot partition.  This means that
#          all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /boot/, eg.
#          root (hd0,0)
#          kernel /vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sda3
#          initrd /initrd-[generic-]version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=5
password --md5 $1$TNUb/1$TwroGJn4eCd4xsYeGiBYq.
splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
title CentOS (2.6.32-279.5.2.el6.i686)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.32-279.5.2.el6.i686 ro root=UUID=d06b9517-8bb3-44db-b8c5-7710e183edb7 rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_LVM rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us crashkernel=auto rhgb quiet
        initrd /initramfs-2.6.32-279.5.2.el6.i686.img
title centos (2.6.32-71.el6.i686)
        root (hd0,0)
        kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.32-71.el6.i686 ro root=UUID=d06b9517-8bb3-44db-b8c5-7710e183edb7 rd_NO_LUKS rd_NO_LVM rd_NO_MD rd_NO_DM LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SYSFONT=latarcyrheb-sun16 KEYBOARDTYPE=pc KEYTABLE=us crashkernel=auto rhgb quiet
        initrd /initramfs-2.6.32-71.el6.i686.img

STEP 4: Reboot system and try it pressing ‘p‘ to enter password to unlock and enable next features.

Password Protect Grub in Linux