Passing passwords more securely to mysql utilities on the command line This question is related to another question I subsequently asked here: Using the output from mysqldiff.exe to transform database2 to match database1.

I have been trying to use mysqldiff.exe, part of MySQL Utilities group of tools. The idea is to identify schema differences between two databases, or other contained objects (tables, routines, triggers, etc).

Basically this command:

mysqldiff.exe --server1=root:password@localhost:3306 
--server2=root:password@localhost:3306 db1:db2


seems to work, though I'm yet to fully grasp how to use this program's output for the purpose of transforming the one db to match the other! I guess I might have to ask that question differently further down the line.

My immediate issue is:

This utility screams: # WARNING: Using a password on the command line interface can be insecure., yet I am unable to find a means to avoid spilling out my passwords out there! There is no such option from the available help.

With regular MySQL binaries (mysqld.exe, mysql, mysqladmin, etc), I am able to use --login-path=xxxx, having configured the credentials using mysql_config_editor.exe. With Mysql Utilities, how can I solve this issue?

PS: I realize that my question's tags are a bit imprecise, but I stuff like "mysql-utilities" and "mysqldiff" are not available!
You can put the password in the my.cnf (or my.ini for Windows) and then login without specifying the password "over the wire". Obviously you want to keep that file secure, but in any decent setup, this should not be a problem.

LOGGING IN

[pol@localhost inst]$ ./bin/mysql --defaults-file=./my.cnf -S ./mysql.sock -u root  -- **NOTE: no password is needed here.**
Welcome to the MySQL monitor.  Commands end with ; or \g.
Your MySQL connection id is 2
Server version: 5.6.22-log Source distribution

Copyright (c) 2000, 2014, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its
affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective
owners.

Type 'help;' or '\h' for help. Type '\c' to clear the current input statement.

mysql&gt; 


CONTENTS OF MY.INI OR MY.CNF

[client]
port        = 3306
socket      = /home/pol/Downloads/software/mysql/5.6/inst/mysqld.sock
host            = 127.0.0.1
user        = pol 
password    = dba   --  **&lt;&lt;-----NOTE password in client section**


PASSWORD NOT VISIBLE

mysql&gt; \! ps -ef |  grep mysql
pol       2173  2122  0 Apr19 pts/0    00:00:19 ./bin/mysqld --defaults-file=./my.cnf
pol       9294  2197  0 00:09 pts/1    00:00:00 ./bin/mysql --defaults-file=./my.cnf -S ./mysql.sock -u root   **NOTE - no password visible "over the wire"
pol       9360  9294  0 00:16 pts/1    00:00:00 sh -c  ps -ef |  grep mysql
pol       9362  9360  0 00:16 pts/1    00:00:00 grep mysql