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Line 1: {{Short description\|Software library to manage authentication on Linux}} ~~{{nofootnotes\|date=September 2010}}~~ {{Infobox software '''Linux Pluggable Authentication Modules''' (PAM) provide dynamic authorization for applications and services in a [[Linux]] system. Linux PAM is evolved from the [[Unix]] [[Pluggable Authentication Modules]] architecture. \| name = Linux PAM \| title = Linux PAM \| logo = <!-- Image name is enough --> \| logo caption = \| logo size = \| logo alt = \| screenshot = <!-- Image name is enough --> \| caption = \| screenshot size = \| screenshot alt = \| author = \| developer = \| released = <!-- {{Start date and age\|YYYY\|MM\|DD\|df=yes/no}} --> \| discontinued = \| latest release version = {{wikidata\|property\|preferred\|references\|edit\|Q6555077\|P348\|P548=Q2804309}} \| latest release date = {{wikidata\|qualifier\|preferred\|single\|Q6555077\|P348\|P548=Q2804309\|P577}} \| latest preview version = \| latest preview date = <!-- {{Start date and age\|YYYY\|MM\|DD\|df=yes/no}} --> \| programming language = [[C (programming language)\|C]] \| operating system = [[Linux]] \| platform = \| size = \| 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~~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.▼ ~~There are four groups for independent management:~~ * ~~Authentication~~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~~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.▼ ▲* 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. * ~~Session~~session modules define actions that are performed at the beginning and end of sessions. A session starts after the user has successfully authenticated.▼ ▲* 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]]. ▲* 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}} * [[OpenPAM]]▼ [[Pluggable Authentication Modules]] ▲ [[OpenPAM]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.~~kernel~~linux-pam.org/~~pub/linux/libs/pam/~~ Primary distribution site for the Linux-PAM ~~page~~project] * [~~http~~https://~~linux~~github.~~die.net~~com/~~man/8~~linux-pam/linux-pam.d ~~pam.d(8)~~Development -site for the Linux-PAM ~~man page~~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}}