root login to vCenter takes two attempts (VMCA)

[mwhalenhtc]

Hello all,

I am attempting to run the python script to mitigate log4j.

At first, I don't think I knew what my root password was so I used the KB article to reset it. What was actually happening was that I had to type in the pasword _twice_ to get to the initial menu. From there, I could do most things but I can't shell.set because the command doesn't exist.

Perhaps these are two distinct problems, but I don't know.

So, first issue is: I can't login without typing in the password twice. I found a KB article, but it refers to ESXi and the logs it says to check don't exist because the directory where they're housed doesn't.

For the moment, I'm going to shutdown vCenter, but that breaks our APC UPS from shutting down the VMs gracefully.

[mwhalenhtc]

Now I have two vCenter appliances that do the same thing. Both are 6.7. Different sites.

[mwhalenhtc]

At the moment, I'm not that much of an "Enthusiast," enthusiastic forum software.

[mwhalenhtc · Accepted solution]

I figured out the problem and I'm embarrassed to say it was stupid-simple.

Simply put, I wasn't waiting long enough for vCenter to come up fully. After we learned about log4j and vCenter's vulnerability, we shut down the appliances. So, when I went to mitigate it, I booted up the appliances and tried to do my work once I got to the login prompt. I needed to wait for the screen that looks more like the ESXi console screen. Once in there, I could enable the BASH shell and then do the work.

So, everything is all set.

Avoid my folly, weary traveler.