http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=423523


in reply to CLI must not echo password

Another alternative is IO::Prompt: 
    use IO::Prompt;

    $pwd = prompt "enter password: ", -echo=>"";

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or, better still, echo the password with stars: 
    use IO::Prompt;

    $pwd = prompt "enter password: ", -echo=>"*";

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In Section Seekers of Perl Wisdom