kinit:tldr:a0b7d

kinit: Renew a ticket-granting ticket.

kinit

$ kinit -R

try on your machine

The "kinit -R" command is used in a Kerberos authentication system to renew the user's Kerberos ticket-granting ticket (TGT).

Kerberos is a network authentication protocol that allows users and services to securely authenticate over an untrusted network. When a user initially logs in, they obtain a Kerberos TGT, which is a ticket issued by the Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC). This TGT can be used to request additional tickets (service tickets) for specific services.

The "kinit" command is used to obtain a Kerberos TGT. By default, the TGT obtained is valid for a specific duration, typically several hours. However, if the TGT is about to expire and the user desires to continue accessing Kerberos-protected services, they can use the "kinit -R" command to renew the TGT.

The "-R" option stands for "renew" and is used to instruct the kinit command to renew the existing TGT instead of obtaining a new one. Upon running the "kinit -R" command, the kinit program contacts the KDC and exchanges the existing TGT for a renewed one, extending the validity period without requiring the user to re-enter their password.

This command is especially useful when a user wants to maintain an active Kerberos session without needing to go through the entire authentication process again.

This explanation was created by an AI. In most cases those are correct. But please always be careful and never run a command you are not sure if it is safe.

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