PAM Policy Functions

getuserpasswdpam

  • Version 8.0 and earlier: getuserpasswdpam() function not available.
  • Version 8.5 and later: getuserpasswdpam() function available.

Description

The getuserpasswdpam() function uses PAM password authentication on the policy server host for the specified user.

It is similar to using the getuserpasswd() function with the pampasswordservice keyword in the policy server host’s /etc/pb.settings.

When used, this policy function overrides the pampasswordservice setting in the policy server host’s settings file and works even if the PAM setting is set to no.

The getuserpasswdpam() function prompts the user for the password that belongs to the specified user on the policy server. The password is not echoed to the screen as it is typed.

The user’s failure to provide the correct password does not automatically result in a rejection of the secured task request. The policy should examine the result of the getuserpasswdpam() function and respond accordingly.

Not supported in Endpoint Privilege Management for Linux (EPM-L).

Syntax

result = getuserpasswdpam(user, pampasswordservice[, prompt[, attempts[, name, time]]]);

Arguments

user Required. The user whose password must be entered.
pampasswordservice Required. The name of the PAM service that you want to use for PAM password authentication and account management.
prompt Optional. Extra text that appears before the PAM prompt that displays for the user. Enter a null argument ("") if you do not want to add text before the PAM prompt.
attempts Optional. The number of attempts that the user has to enter the correct password. The default value for attempts is 3.
name

Optional. The name of a file or persistent variable whose age/expiration determines the re-authentication grace period. If the value starts with a dollar sign ($), it is treated as a persistent variable, otherwise it is treated as a file name.

If name is specified, the time parameter (below) is required.
time

Required if name argument (above) is specified). The time/expiry date (number of seconds) after which a prompt is forced. getuserpasswdpam() returns true without prompting the user for a password if one of the following is true:

  1. The file defined by the name argument exists, and has not been modified in the last time seconds.
  2. The persistent variable defined by the name argument exists and its expiry date, defined by time, has not been exceeded.

Return Values

true Password matched.
false Password did not match or invalid password service. 
result = getuserpasswdpam(runuser, "pbulpass", "Please enter " + runuser +  "'s Password: ");

In this example, result contains true if the user enters the password for the runuser. If the correct password is not entered in three attempts, then the function sets result to false.

getuserpasswdpam(user, "pbulpass", "Passwd for "+user+": ", 3, "/opt/pbul/gp001", 300);

In this example, the file /opt/pbul/gp001 is created at initial successful user authentication and for 5 minutes (300 seconds) thereafter, the user is not prompted for a password as long as the file is not modified.

For more information, see the following: