reference: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1043311#c6
If you’ve ever run into an issue where your GitHub password is mistakenly stored as your username in the ksshaskpass utility, you’re not alone! This problem has affected many users on Linux distributions like Fedora and Kubuntu, where ksshaskpass manages credentials for Git operations. The confusion arises from an unintuitive prompt that can lead you to accidentally input your GitHub password when it asks for your username.
In this post, we'll discuss the problem, how to fix it, and why this issue still lingers in modern Linux systems.
ksshaskpass is used in KDE-based environments to manage credentials for Git, among other tools. However, the first time users try to push to GitHub, ksshaskpass may ask for a "username" using a password field with masked input (showing * characters). This confusing prompt has led users to accidentally input their password instead of their username.
When this happens, GitHub then mistakenly stores your password as the username, leading to authentication issues. From that point on, you’ll see a misleading error when you try to push code, such as:
Password for 'https://<password>@github.com':
The result is that GitHub now believes your password is the username, and you’re locked into this faulty configuration. Unfortunately, clearing credentials via Git or the terminal won’t immediately fix the problem.
Here’s how you can resolve this issue if you’ve accidentally entered your password where your username should be in ksshaskpass. You’ll need to edit the stored credentials in KWallet, the password manager used by KDE-based systems.
KWalletManager installed, you can install it by running:sudo apt install kwalletmanager
kwalletmanager5 in your terminal or searching for it in your system’s applications menu.ksshaskpass Folder:
Once inside KWalletManager, navigate to the folder labeled ksshaskpass. This is where the tool stores credentials for GitHub and other services.https://github.com. Inside, you’ll likely find your password stored where your username should be. Edit this field and replace your password with your actual GitHub username.https://[email protected]@github.com. This will likely contain your actual GitHub password. Delete this entry to remove the stored password.KWalletManager.ksshaskpass should prompt you for the correct username and password (or a personal access token if you are using one), and your authentication issue should be resolved.This bug was first reported back in 2013 on Fedora 29 but still persists today in various Linux distributions. Despite being a long-standing issue, it remains unresolved in the latest versions of Fedora, Kubuntu, and other KDE-based Linux systems as of 2019.
The root cause lies in how ksshaskpass interacts with KWallet, especially during the first Git operation where it asks for credentials. The input fields don’t clearly distinguish between a username and password, causing users to inadvertently enter incorrect information.
While the fix is relatively simple (as outlined above), the confusing prompt and the lack of a proper GUI to easily update credentials have kept this problem alive for many Linux users.
If you're running into problems with ksshaskpass storing the wrong GitHub credentials, don't worry! By using KWalletManager, you can easily access and edit the saved information. However, this bug highlights a long-standing issue with Linux's password management tools that developers still need to address.
In the meantime, if you're looking for a more reliable solution, consider switching to SSH for GitHub authentication or using a Personal Access Token (PAT) for HTTPS operations. Both methods bypass ksshaskpass entirely and can make your GitHub workflow more secure and hassle-free.
This guide should help you fix the problem quickly, but if you continue facing issues, feel free to reach out to the Linux or GitHub community for further support.
Let me know your thoughts on this fix, and happy coding!