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PAM_SM_CHAUTHTOK

Section: Linux-PAM Manual (3)
Updated: 04/01/2016
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NAME

pam_sm_chauthtok - PAM service function for authentication token management

SYNOPSIS

#define PAM_SM_PASSWORD

#include <security/pam_modules.h>

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

DESCRIPTION

The pam_sm_chauthtok function is the service module's implementation of the pam_chauthtok(3) interface.

This function is used to (re-)set the authentication token of the user.

Valid flags, which may be logically OR'd with PAM_SILENT, are:

PAM_SILENT

: Do not emit any messages.

PAM_CHANGE_EXPIRED_AUTHTOK

: This argument indicates to the module that the user's authentication token (password) should only be changed if it has expired. This flag is optional and must be combined with one of the following two flags. Note, however, the following two options are mutually exclusive.

PAM_PRELIM_CHECK

: This indicates that the modules are being probed as to their ready status for altering the user's authentication token. If the module requires access to another system over some network it should attempt to verify it can connect to this system on receiving this flag. If a module cannot establish it is ready to update the user's authentication token it should return PAM_TRY_AGAIN, this information will be passed back to the application.
If the control value sufficient is used in the password stack, the PAM_PRELIM_CHECK section of the modules following that control value is not always executed.

PAM_UPDATE_AUTHTOK

: This informs the module that this is the call it should change the authorization tokens. If the flag is logically OR'd with PAM_CHANGE_EXPIRED_AUTHTOK, the token is only changed if it has actually expired.

The PAM library calls this function twice in succession. The first time with PAM_PRELIM_CHECK and then, if the module does not return PAM_TRY_AGAIN, subsequently with PAM_UPDATE_AUTHTOK. It is only on the second call that the authorization token is (possibly) changed.

RETURN VALUES

PAM_AUTHTOK_ERR

: The module was unable to obtain the new authentication token.

PAM_AUTHTOK_RECOVERY_ERR

: The module was unable to obtain the old authentication token.

PAM_AUTHTOK_LOCK_BUSY

: Cannot change the authentication token since it is currently locked.

PAM_AUTHTOK_DISABLE_AGING

: Authentication token aging has been disabled.

PAM_PERM_DENIED

: Permission denied.

PAM_TRY_AGAIN

: Preliminary check was unsuccessful. Signals an immediate return to the application is desired.

PAM_SUCCESS

: The authentication token was successfully updated.

PAM_USER_UNKNOWN

: User unknown to password service.