PAM_WHEEL
Section: Linux-PAM Manual (8)
Updated: 05/31/2011
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NAME
pam_wheel - Only permit root access to members of group wheel
 
SYNOPSIS
- 
pam_wheel.so [debug] [deny] [group=name] [root_only] [trust]
 
 
DESCRIPTION
The pam_wheel PAM module is used to enforce the so-called
wheel
group. By default it permits root access to the system if the applicant user is a member of the
wheel
group. If no group with this name exist, the module is using the group with the group-ID
0.
 
OPTIONS
debug
- 
Print debug information.
 
deny
- 
Reverse the sense of the auth operation: if the user is trying to get UID 0 access and is a member of the wheel group (or the group of the
group
option), deny access. Conversely, if the user is not in the group, return PAM_IGNORE (unless
trust
was also specified, in which case we return PAM_SUCCESS).
 
group=name
- 
Instead of checking the wheel or GID 0 groups, use the
name
group to perform the authentication.
 
root_only
- 
The check for wheel membership is done only.
 
trust
- 
The pam_wheel module will return PAM_SUCCESS instead of PAM_IGNORE if the user is a member of the wheel group (thus with a little play stacking the modules the wheel members may be able to su to root without being prompted for a passwd).
 
 
MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
The
auth
and
account
module types are provided.
 
RETURN VALUES
PAM_AUTH_ERR
- 
Authentication failure.
 
PAM_BUF_ERR
- 
Memory buffer error.
 
PAM_IGNORE
- 
The return value should be ignored by PAM dispatch.
 
PAM_PERM_DENY
- 
Permission denied.
 
PAM_SERVICE_ERR
- 
Cannot determine the user name.
 
PAM_SUCCESS
- 
Success.
 
PAM_USER_UNKNOWN
- 
User not known.
 
 
EXAMPLES
The root account gains access by default (rootok), only wheel members can become root (wheel) but Unix authenticate non-root applicants.
- 
su      auth     sufficient     pam_rootok.so
su      auth     required       pam_wheel.so
su      auth     required       pam_unix.so
      
 
 
SEE ALSO
pam.conf(5),
pam.d(5),
pam(7)
 
AUTHOR
pam_wheel was written by Cristian Gafton <gafton@redhat.com>.
 Index
- NAME
 - 
 - SYNOPSIS
 - 
 - DESCRIPTION
 - 
 - OPTIONS
 - 
 - MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
 - 
 - RETURN VALUES
 - 
 - EXAMPLES
 - 
 - SEE ALSO
 - 
 - AUTHOR
 - 
 
      
      
      
      
   
      
      
         
            
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