pam_sm_chauthtok(3)

NAME

pam_sm_chauthtok — Service provider implementation for pam_chauthtok

SYNOPSIS

cc [ flag ... ] file ... -lpam [ library ... ]

#include <security/pam_appl.h>

#include <security/pam_modules.h>

int pam_sm_chauthtok(pam_handle_t *pamh, int flags, int argc, const char **argv);

DESCRIPTION

In response to a call to pam_chauthtok() the PAM framework calls pam_sm_chauthtok() from the modules listed in the pam.conf(4) file. The password management provider supplies the back-end functionality for this interface function.

pam_sm_chauthtok() changes the authentication token associated with a particular user referenced by the authentication handle, pamh.

The following flag may be passed in to pam_chauthtok():

PAM_SILENT: The password service should not generate any messages.
PAM_CHANGE_EXPIRED_AUTHTOK: The password service should only update those passwords that have aged. If this flag is not passed, the password service should update all passwords.
PAM_PRELIM_CHECK: The password service should only perform preliminary checks. No passwords should be updated.
PAM_UPDATE_AUTHTOK: The password service should update passwords.

Note that PAM_PRELIM_CHECK and PAM_UPDATE_AUTHTOK can not be set at the same time.

Upon successful completion of the call, the authentication token of the user will be ready for change or will be changed (depending upon the flag) in accordance with the authentication scheme configured within the system.

The argc argument represents the number of module options passed in from the configuration file pam.conf(4). argv specifies the module options, which are interpreted and processed by the password management service. Please refer to the specific module man pages for the various available options.

It is the responsibility of pam_sm_chauthtok() to determine if the new password meets certain strength requirements. pam_sm_chauthtok() may continue to re-prompt the user (for a limited number of times) for a new password until the password entered meets the strength requirements.

Before returning, pam_sm_chauthtok() should call pam_get_item() and retrieve both PAM_AUTHTOK and PAM_OLDAUTHTOK. If both are NULL, pam_sm_chauthtok() should set them to the new and old passwords as entered by the user.

APPLICATION USAGE

Refer to pam(3) for information on thread-safety of PAM interfaces.

NOTES

The PAM framework invokes the password services twice. The first time the modules are invoked with the flag, PAM_PRELIM_CHECK. During this stage, the password modules should only perform preliminary checks (ping remote name services to see if they are ready for updates, for example). If a password module detects a transient error (remote name service temporarily down, for example) it should return PAM_TRY_AGAIN to the PAM framework, which will immediately return the error back to the application. If all password modules pass the preliminary check, the PAM framework invokes the password services again with the flag, PAM_UPDATE_AUTHTOK. During this stage, each password module should proceed to update the appropriate password. Any error will again be reported back to application.

If a service module receives the flag, PAM_CHANGE_EXPIRED_AUTHTOK, it should check whether the password has aged or expired. If the password has aged or expired, then the service module should proceed to update the password. If the status indicates that the password has not yet aged/expired, then the password module should return PAM_IGNORE.

If a user's password has aged or expired, a PAM account module could save this information as state in the authentication handle, pamh, using pam_set_data(). The related password management module could retrieve this information using pam_get_data() to determine whether or not it should prompt the user to update the password for this particular module.

RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, PAM_SUCCESS must be returned. The following values may also be returned:

PAM_PERM_DENIED: No permission.
PAM_AUTHTOK_ERR: Authentication token manipulation error.
PAM_AUTHTOK_RECOVERY_ERR: Old authentication token cannot be recovered.
PAM_AUTHTOK_LOCK_BUSY: Authentication token lock busy.
PAM_AUTHTOK_DISABLE_AGING: Authentication token aging disabled.
PAM_USER_UNKNOWN: User unknown to password service.
PAM_TRY_AGAIN: Preliminary check by password service failed.

pam_sm_chauthtok(3)

Technical documentation

» Table of Contents

» Index