Understanding the Password Cache Time of the sudo Command

When using the sudo command in a Linux system, the password cache time refers to the duration for which the password is remembered by the system after entering it once. This cache time is set by default to 15 minutes in most Linux distributions.

During this cache time, if the user executes another sudo command, they will not be prompted to enter the password again. This can be convenient for users who need to perform multiple administrative tasks within a short timeframe.

However, it is essential to be cautious with this feature as it can pose a security risk. If someone gains unauthorized access to your terminal during the cache time, they can execute sudo commands without needing the password.

To view or modify the password cache time of the sudo command, you can edit the sudoers file using the visudo command and adjust the timestamp_timeout parameter.