> Source: [sk106368](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk106368)

# sk106368 - The user is not able to log in to Gaia OS after configuring a password that contains backslash "\"

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk106368 |
| Date Created | 2015-06-07 |
| Last Modified | 2019-02-27 |
| Technical Level | Advanced |
| Products | Security Gateway, Security Management Server, Multi-Domain Security Management Server |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.10, R82, R81.20, R82.10, R82.20, R81.20, R82, R82.20 |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * User is not able to log in to Gaia OS after configuring a password that contains backslash "\\" in Gaia Portal.

* User login in Console fails with "`Login incorrect`."

* User login in SSH fails with "`Access denied`."

* User login fails regardless of what the is default shell (Clish or Bash).

* */var/log/messages* file shows the following if the default shell of the problematic user is *Clish*:

  * During failed login attempt *on console*:

    `
    login: pam_unix(login:auth): check pass; user unknown`  
    `
    login: pam_unix(login:auth): authentication failure; logname=LOGIN uid=0 euid=0 tty=tty1 ruser= rhost=`  
    `
    login: FAILED LOGIN 2 FROM (null) FOR <username>, Authentication failure
    `   

  * During failed login attempt *over SSH*:

    `sshd[...]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=ssh ruser= rhost=<IP_Address> user=<username>`  
    `
    sshd[...]: Failed password for <username> from <IP_Address> port ... ssh2`
* */var/log/messages* file shows the following if the default shell of the problematic user is *Bash*:

  * During failed login attempt *on console*:

    `
    login: pam_unix(login:auth): authentication failure; logname=LOGIN uid=0 euid=0 tty=tty1 ruser= rhost= user=<username>`  
    `
    login: FAILED LOGIN 1 FROM (null) FOR <username>, Authentication failure
    `   

  * During failed login attempt *over SSH*:

    `sshd[...]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=ssh ruser= rhost=<IP_Address> user=<username>`  
    `
    sshd[...]: Failed password for <username> from <IP_Address> port ... ssh2`

## Cause

Backslash ("\\") is a special escape character. When user enters the password that contains the backslash ("\\") character during login, it is transferred to the OS as a string without backslash ("\\") character. As a result, login might fail.

Issue occurs when password that contains the backslash ("\\") character is defined in Gaia Portal ("User Management" section - "Users" pane).

## Solution

This solution requires authentication. Please log in to view the full solution.

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