--- old/src/jdk.management.agent/share/conf/jmxremote.password.template	2017-10-06 00:40:07.251426830 +0530
+++ new/src/jdk.management.agent/share/conf/jmxremote.password.template	2017-10-06 00:40:07.151426523 +0530
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 #
 # o Copy this template to jmxremote.password
 # o Set the user/password entries in jmxremote.password
-# o Change the permission of jmxremote.password to read-only
-#   by the owner.
+# o Change the permission of jmxremote.password to be accessible
+#   only by the owner.
+# o The jmxremote.passwords file will be re-written by the server
+    to replace all plain text passwords with hashed passwords when
+    the file is read by the server.
 #
-# See below for the location of jmxremote.password file.
-# ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 ##############################################################
 #        Password File for Remote JMX Monitoring
@@ -24,41 +25,80 @@
 # the management config file $JRE/conf/management/management.properties
 # or by specifying a system property (See that file for details).
 
-
 ##############################################################
-#    File permissions of the jmxremote.password file
+#    File format of the jmxremote.password file
 ##############################################################
-#      Since there are cleartext passwords stored in this file,
-#      this file must be readable by ONLY the owner,
-#      otherwise the program will exit with an error.
-#
-# The file format for password and access files is syntactically the same
-# as the Properties file format.  The syntax is described in the Javadoc
-# for java.util.Properties.load.
-# Typical password file has multiple  lines, where each line is blank,
+#
+# The file contains multiple lines where each line is blank,
 # a comment (like this one), or a password entry.
 #
+# password entry follows below syntax
+#   role_name W [clearPassword|hashedPassword]
 #
-# A password entry consists of a role name and an associated
-# password.  The role name is any string that does not itself contain
-# spaces or tabs.  The password is again any string that does not
-# contain spaces or tabs.  Note that passwords appear in the clear in
-# this file, so it is a good idea not to use valuable passwords.
+# role_name is any string that does not itself contain spaces or tabs.
+# W = spaces or tabs
+#
+# Passwords can be specified using clear text or via a hash. Clear text password
+# is any string that does not contain spaces or tabs. Hashed passwords must 
+# follow the below format.
+# hashedPassword = base64_encoded_salt W base64_encoded_hash W hash_algorithm
+# where,
+#   base64_encoded_hash = Hash_algorithm(password + salt)
+#   W = spaces or tabs
+#   hash_algorithm = Algorithm string specified using format below
+#       https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/technotes/guides/security/StandardNames.html#MessageDigest
+#       MD5, SHA-1 and SHA-256 are supported algorithms.
+#       This is an optional field. If not specified SHA-256 will be assumed.
+#
+# If passwords are in clear, they will be over-written by their hash if all of 
+# the below criteria are met. 
+#   * com.sun.management.jmxremote.password.hashpasswords property is set to true in 
+#     management.properties file
+#   * the password file is writable
+#   * the system security policy allows writing into the password file, if a 
+#     security manager is configured
+# 
+# In order to change password for a role, replace the hashed password entry
+# with the clear text password or the new hashed password. If the new password 
+# is in clear, it will be replaced with its hash when a new login attempt is made.
 #
 # A given role should have at most one entry in this file.  If a role
 # has no entry, it has no access.
 # If multiple entries are found for the same role name, then the last one
 # is used.
+# 
+# A user generated hashed password file can also be used instead of clear-text
+# password file. If generated by user, hashed passwords must follow
+# format specified above.
+
+##############################################################
+#    File permissions of the jmxremote.password file
+##############################################################
+#       This file must be made accessible by ONLY the owner,
+#       otherwise the program will exit with an error.
 #
-# In a typical installation, this file can be read by anybody on the
+# In a typical installation, this file can be accessed by anybody on the
 # local machine, and possibly by people on other machines.
-# For # security, you should either restrict the access to this file,
+# For security, you should either restrict the access to this file except for owner,
 # or specify another, less accessible file in the management config file
 # as described above.
 #
+
+##############################################################
+#    Sample of the jmxremote.password file
+##############################################################
 # Following are two commented-out entries.  The "measureRole" role has
-# password "QED".  The "controlRole" role has password "R&D".
+# password "QED".  The "controlRole" role has password "R&D". This is example
+# of specifying passwords in clear
 #
-# monitorRole  QED
-# controlRole   R&D
+#   monitorRole  QED
+#   controlRole  R&D
+# 
+# Once a login attempt is made, passwords will be hashed and the file will have 
+# below entries with clear passwords overwritten by their respective 
+# SHA-256 hash
+#
+#   monitorRole 818kn2GKCT1IqMKnJhwtmow8v/9cv++8bJbhjO+ugX0= WqoaqEAVub/PenLY2wxLMLCdPRa+rFCWCWM0Zh/wR38= SHA-256
+#   controlRole ALO98BOPW9rqvvtzzn7Lx7Q2uNWZdUf9PtY0g9aQ5lk= yobRA/4ygyJQTE2gEe4xQdYu7IexBHl0SSP9mEHFFhA= SHA-256
+#