Linux's Security Capabilities

7. PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules)

• Historically, authentication of Unix users relied on the input of a password wich was checked with the one stored in /etc/passwd .

• At each improvement (/etc/shadow , one-time passwords...) each program (login, ftp, ...) had to be rewritten.

• PAM is a more flexible user authentication mecanism.

• Programs supporting PAM must dynamically link themselves to the modules in charge of authentication.

• The administrator is in charge of the configuration and the attachement order of modules.

Linux's Security Capabilities

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