Linux and Security

PAM stands for Plugable Authentication Module

Pam creates an interface between application e.g login & the current authentication system

e.g

SSH ---->PAM------>Passwd
login---->PAM------->Passwd

Every program that relics on PAM module has its own configuration file e.g For program passwd it will be /etc/pam.d/passwd

Global configuration file for PAM is /etc/security

PAM modules are in /lib/security

PAM_Unix2.so null ok is used during authentication process to validate the login and password provided by user

PAM_pwcheck.so is used when user wants to change password, so it checks if the password is secure enogh.

null ok allows user to change teh empty password, otherwise empty passwords are treated as locked accounts.

Please add if you know further about PAM.

Darklord

Great details, Interesting feature in linux which i wish to explore more.