"Invoke-VMScript Failed to authenticate with the guest operating system using the supplied credentials." With open-vm-tools, credentials are correct.

[DiaDemiEmi]

Hello, I am trying to use Invoke-VMScript to run a specific command on Linux guest machines.

The command errors with the following output:

Invoke-VMScript : 29-10-2020 12:04:47    Invoke-VMScript

Failed to authenticate with the guest operating system usin

g the supplied credentials.  

At line:1 char:1

+ Invoke-VMScript -VM <REDACTED HOSTNAME> -ScriptText "sudo /bin/b ...

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	+ CategoryInfo	: NotSpecified: (:) [Invoke-VMScript], InvalidGuestLogin
	+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Client20_VmGuestServiceImpl_RunScriptInGuest_ViError,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cm

   dlets.Commands.InvokeVmScript

In the linux host I'm currently trying I see the following in /var/log/audit/audit.log
type=USER_AUTH msg=audit(1603969482.812:4373542): pid=9477 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='op=PAM:authentication grantors=? acct="sa_vmware" exe="/usr/bin/vmtoolsd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=failed'

/var/log/vmware-vmsvc.log shows the following during the login:

[2020-10-29T11:20:18.672Z] [ message] [vix] VixTools_ProcessVixCommand: command 181
[2020-10-29T11:20:20.256Z] [ warning] [VCGA] PAM error: Authentication failure (7), mapped to VGAuth error 12
[2020-10-29T11:20:20.256Z] [ warning] [vix] VixToolsImpersonateUser: impersonation failed (3050)
[2020-10-29T11:20:20.256Z] [ message] [vix] VixToolsCreateTempFileInt: opcode 181 returning 3050
[2020-10-29T11:20:20.256Z] [ message] [vix] ToolsDaemonTcloReceiveVixCommand: command 181, additionalError = 4294967284

/etc/pam.d/vmtoolsd  Is the following:
auth       required     pam_shells.so
auth       substack     password-auth
auth       include      postlogin
account    required     pam_nologin.so
account    include      password-auth

with journalctl -xe I see

Oct 29 12:26:59 <REDACTED HOSTNAME> VGAuth[9477]: vmtoolsd: Username and password mismatch for 'sa_vmware'.

I am completely sure the password entered in the command is the same as the user password.

[scott28tt]

Moderator: Thread moved to the PowerCLI area.

[LucD]

You didn't show the complete Invoke-VMScript line.
Could it be that your password has special characters and was not between quotes?

[DiaDemiEmi]

The password does not have any special characters and I have tried it with and without quotes with no other result.

[LucD]

On previous mentions of this issue, a reinstall of the VMware Tools seems to have fixed the issue.

See PAM error when trying to Run Program in Guest t... |VMware Communities

[DiaDemiEmi]

I reinstalled open-vm-tools.x86_64 and restarted the vmtools systemd service but no luck.

[LucD]

I'm out of ideas, but if you are willing to try it, give my Invoke-VMScriptPlus function a try.
With the Verbose switch, it might give some more information.