The change, which will be enabled by default in the upcoming release, addresses one of the most common complaints from users transitioning to Linux. The silent password prompt — where the cursor appears frozen while typing — was originally designed as a security measure to prevent shoulder-surfers from determining password length.

The decision reflects a broader shift in security thinking. Modern security experts argue that the slight information leak of showing password length is vastly outweighed by the usability improvement, particularly as most authentication now happens in graphical environments where asterisks are standard.

The change can be reverted by editing the sudoers file, preserving the option for security-conscious administrators who prefer the traditional behaviour.