imported>Xose.vazquez at 05:54, 6 May 2025

2025-05-06T05:54:08Z

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{{Short description|Software library to manage authentication on Linux}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Linux PAM
| title = Linux PAM
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| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|references|edit|Q6555077|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q6555077|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}
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| programming language = [[C (programming language)|C]]
| operating system = [[Linux]]
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| genre = authentication
| repo = {{URL|github.com/linux-pam/linux-pam}}
| license = [[GNU General Public License]] or [[Modified BSD License]]
| website = {{URL|linux-pam.org}}
}}
'''Linux Pluggable Authentication Modules''' (PAM) is a suite of libraries that allow a Linux [[system administrator]] to configure methods to [[Authentication|authenticate]] users. It provides a flexible and centralized way to switch authentication methods for secured applications by using configuration files instead of changing application code.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chapter 1. Introduction|url=http://www.linux-pam.org/Linux-PAM-html/sag-introduction.html|access-date=2023-11-11|website=An Internet Archive page of Linux PAM site|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506140423/http://www.linux-pam.org/Linux-PAM-html/sag-introduction.html |archive-date=2021-05-06 }}</ref> There are Linux PAM libraries allowing authentication using methods such as local passwords, [[Lightweight Directory Access Protocol|LDAP]], or fingerprint readers.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Lauber|first=Susan|date=2020-07-22|title=An introduction to Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) in Linux|url=https://www.redhat.com/sysadmin/pluggable-authentication-modules-pam|access-date=2021-02-28|website=Red Hat|language=en}}</ref> Linux PAM is evolved from the [[Unix]] [[Pluggable Authentication Modules]] architecture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/5940|title=Securing Applications on Linux with PAM {{!}} Linux Journal|last1=Fernandes|first1=Savio|last2=Reddy|first2=KLM|website=[[Linux Journal]]|language=en|access-date=2018-09-30}}</ref>

Linux-PAM separates the tasks of authentication into four independent management groups:<ref>{{Cite web|title=pam.d(8): Pluggable Authentication Modules for - Linux man page|url=https://linux.die.net/man/8/pam.d|access-date=2021-02-28|website=linux.die.net}}</ref>
* account modules check that the specified account is a valid authentication target under current conditions. This may include conditions like account expiration, time of day, and that the user has access to the requested service.
* authentication modules verify the user's identity, for example by requesting and checking a password or other secret. They may also pass authentication information on to other systems like a [[Keyring (cryptography)|keyring]].
* password modules are responsible for updating passwords, and are generally coupled to modules employed in the authentication step. They may also be used to enforce strong passwords.
* session modules define actions that are performed at the beginning and end of sessions. A session starts after the user has successfully authenticated.

==See also==
{{Portal|Linux|Free and open-source software}}
*[[Pluggable Authentication Modules]]
*[[OpenPAM]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.linux-pam.org/ Primary distribution site for the Linux-PAM project]
*[https://github.com/linux-pam/linux-pam Development site for the Linux-PAM project]
* [http://aplawrence.com/Basics/understandingpam.html ''Understanding PAM'', by A.P. Lawrence]

{{Linux kernel}}

[[Category:Linux kernel features]]
[[Category:Computer access control frameworks]]

{{Security-software-stub}}

Linux PAM - Revision history

imported>Xose.vazquez at 05:54, 6 May 2025