[Bug 882255] [NEW] No root access after setting password to 'None'

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If I choose not to have a password for my operating account, every
operation  fails if it needs root access. Reproducable even on a newly
set up machine. See: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1862543

Release: 11.10

Steps to reproduce:
1. Install Ubuntu 11.10 as normal. During installation, when you are asked to choose a password, enter one, since the installation can not continue if you do not do so.
2. Boot the newly installed system and log in as usual.
3. Choose "System Settings" from the launcher on the left and open "User Accounts".
4. In the User Accounts window, click on Unlock at the top right of the dialog. Enter your user password when prompted.
5. Click on the four dots next to the "Password" label to change your password.
6. Select "Log in without a password" from the dropdown box. Close the window.
7. Try to perform an action requiring administrative privileges. For example, try running "sudo apt-get update" from a terminal.

Expected behavior:
sudo should require the user's password and accept it, or proceed without requiring any password altogether.

Actual behavior:
sudo requires the user's password and does not accept it (since it is set to an empty string in /etc/shadow).

Further notes:
After disabling the password request at login, the /etc/shadow file related to the test user account I created looked like this:
test::15283:0:99999:7:::
This shows that the password hash is made completely empty; that conflicts with the policies listed in /etc/sudoers, which require a password to be given in order to perform administrative actions.

** Affects: sudo (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: Confirmed

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No root access after setting password to 'None'
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/882255
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