PAM_ENV

Section: Linux-PAM Manual (8)
Updated: 01/16/2014
Index Return to Main Contents

NAME

pam_env - PAM module to set/unset environment variables

SYNOPSIS

pam_env.so [debug] [conffile=conf-file] [envfile=env-file] [readenv=0|1] [user_envfile=env-file] [user_readenv=0|1]

DESCRIPTION

The pam_env PAM module allows the (un)setting of environment variables. Supported is the use of previously set environment variables as well as PAM_ITEMs such as PAM_RHOST.

By default rules for (un)setting of variables is taken from the config file /etc/security/pam_env.conf if no other file is specified.

This module can also parse a file with simple KEY=VAL pairs on separate lines (/etc/environment by default). You can change the default file to parse, with the envfile flag and turn it on or off by setting the readenv flag to 1 or 0 respectively.

Since setting of PAM environment variables can have side effects to other modules, this module should be the last one on the stack.

OPTIONS

conffile=/path/to/pam_env.conf

: Indicate an alternative pam_env.conf style configuration file to override the default. This can be useful when different services need different environments.

debug

: A lot of debug information is printed with syslog(3).

envfile=/path/to/environment

: Indicate an alternative environment file to override the default. This can be useful when different services need different environments.

readenv=0|1

: Turns on or off the reading of the file specified by envfile (0 is off, 1 is on). By default this option is on.

user_envfile=filename

: Indicate an alternative .pam_environment file to override the default. This can be useful when different services need different environments. The filename is relative to the user home directory.

user_readenv=0|1

: Turns on or off the reading of the user specific environment file. 0 is off, 1 is on. By default this option is off.

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

The auth and session module types are provided.

RETURN VALUES

PAM_ABORT

: Not all relevant data or options could be gotten.

PAM_BUF_ERR

: Memory buffer error.

PAM_IGNORE

: No pam_env.conf and environment file was found.

PAM_SUCCESS

: Environment variables were set.

FILES

/etc/security/pam_env.conf

: Default configuration file

/etc/environment

: Default environment file

$HOME/.pam_environment

: User specific environment file

AUTHOR

pam_env was written by Dave Kinchlea <kinch@kinch.ark.com>.