Next Previous Contents

# The Linux-PAM Application Developers' Guide

## Andrew G. Morgan, `morgan@kernel.org`

DRAFT v0.76 2001/12/08

This manual documents what an application developer needs to know about the Linux-PAM library. It describes how an application might use the Linux-PAM library to authenticate users. In addition it contains a description of the funtions to be found in `libpam_misc` library, that can be used in general applications. Finally, it contains some comments on PAM related security issues for the application developer.

## 1. Introduction

- 1.1 Synopsis
- 1.2 Description

## 2. Overview

## 3. The public interface to Linux-PAM

- 3.1 What can be expected by the application
- 3.2 What is expected of an application
- 3.3 Programming notes

## 4. Security issues of Linux-PAM

- 4.1 Care about standard library calls
- 4.2 Choice of a service name
- 4.3 The conversation function
- 4.4 The identity of the user
- 4.5 Sufficient resources

## 5. A library of miscellaneous helper functions

- 5.1 Requirements
- 5.2 Macros supplied
- 5.3 Functions supplied

## 6. Porting legacy applications

## 7. Glossary of PAM related terms

## 8. An example application

## 9. Files

## 10. See also

## 11. Notes

## 12. Author/acknowledgments

## 13. Bugs/omissions

## 14. Copyright information for this document

Next Previous Contents