[[!meta title="Administration password"]]

In Tails, an administration password (also called *root password* or *amnesia password*) is required to perform system administration tasks. For example:

- To [[install additional software|persistent_storage/additional_software]]

- To [[access the internal hard disks of the computer|doc/advanced_topics/internal_hard_disk]]

- To execute commands with `sudo`

[[!img password-prompt.png link="no" class="screenshot" alt="Authentication required: amnesia password (also called *administration password* or *root password*)"]] <!-- Note for translators: the alt tag is useful for SEO. -->

[[!img password-prompt.png link="no" class="screenshot" alt="Authentication required: amnesia password (also called *administration password* or *root password*)"]] <!-- Note for translators: the alt tag is useful for SEO. -->

Security implications of setting up an administration password

For better security, no administration password is set up by default.

When you set up an administration password, an attacker who can get physical access to your computer while Tails is running could be able to break your security and:

- Monitor all your activity.

- Reveal your IP address.

- Access all the data in your Persistent Storage.

- Read and write data on the internal hard disk of the computer.

- Install such vulnerabilities permanently on your Tails USB stick.

To learn your administration password, an attacker could watch your keyboard while you type, for example looking over your shoulders or through a video surveillance camera.

To prevent such an attack:

- Hide your keyboard while typing your administration password in public spaces.

- Never leave your computer unattended while running Tails.

- Learn how to [[shut down Tails quickly|doc/first_steps/shutdown]] in case of emergency.

Set up an administration password