pam_env 8 Linux-PAM Linux-PAM Manual pam_env PAM module to set/unset environment variables pam_env.so debug conffile=conf-file envfile=env-file readenv=0|1 user_envfile=env-file user_readenv=0|1 The pam_env PAM module allows the (un)setting of environment variables. Supported is the use of previously set environment variables as well as PAM_ITEMs such as PAM_RHOST. Rules for (un)setting of variables can be defined in an own config file. The path to this file can be specified with the conffile option. If this file does not exist, the default rules are taken from the config files /etc/security/pam_env.conf and /etc/security/pam_env.conf.d/*.conf. If the file /etc/security/pam_env.conf does not exist, the rules are taken from the files %vendordir%/security/pam_env.conf, %vendordir%/security/pam_env.conf.d/*.conf and /etc/security/pam_env.conf.d/*.conf in that order. By default rules for (un)setting of variables are taken from the config file /etc/security/pam_env.conf. If this file does not exist %vendordir%/security/pam_env.conf is used. An alternate file can be specified with the conffile option, which overrules all other files. By default rules for (un)setting of variables are taken from the config file /etc/security/pam_env.conf. An alternate file can be specified with the conffile option. Environment variables can be defined in a file with simple KEY=VAL pairs on separate lines. The path to this file can be specified with the envfile option. If this file has not been defined, the settings are read from the files /etc/security/environment and /etc/security/environment.d/*. If the file /etc/environment does not exist, the settings are read from the files %vendordir%/environment, %vendordir%/environment.d/* and /etc/environment.d/* in that order. And last but not least, with the readenv option this mechanism can be completely disabled. Second a file (/etc/environment by default) with simple KEY=VAL pairs on separate lines will be read. If this file does not exist, %vendordir%/etc/environment is used. With the envfile option an alternate file can be specified, which overrules all other files. And with the readenv option this can be completely disabled. Second a file (/etc/environment by default) with simple KEY=VAL pairs on separate lines will be read. With the envfile option an alternate file can be specified. And with the readenv option this can be completely disabled. Third it will read a user configuration file ($HOME/.pam_environment by default). The default file can be changed with the user_envfile option and it can be turned on and off with the user_readenv option. Since setting of PAM environment variables can have side effects to other modules, this module should be the last one on the stack. This module is only executed if the main application calls pam_setcred3 or pam_open_session3 . The module does nothing and returns PAM_IGNORE if called by pam_authenticate3 . conffile=/path/to/pam_env.conf Indicate an alternative pam_env.conf style configuration file to override the default. This can be useful when different services need different environments. debug A lot of debug information is printed with syslog3. envfile=/path/to/environment Indicate an alternative environment file to override the default. The syntax are simple KEY=VAL pairs on separate lines. The export instruction can be specified for bash compatibility, but will be ignored. This can be useful when different services need different environments. readenv=0|1 Turns on or off the reading of the file specified by envfile (0 is off, 1 is on). By default this option is on. user_envfile=filename Indicate an alternative .pam_environment file to override the default. The syntax is the same as for /etc/security/pam_env.conf. The filename is relative to the user home directory. This can be useful when different services need different environments. user_readenv=0|1 Turns on or off the reading of the user specific environment file. 0 is off, 1 is on. By default this option is off as user supplied environment variables in the PAM environment could affect behavior of subsequent modules in the stack without the consent of the system administrator. Due to problematic security this functionality is deprecated since the 1.5.0 version and will be removed completely at some point in the future. The auth and session module types are provided. PAM_ABORT Not all relevant data or options could be gotten. PAM_BUF_ERR Memory buffer error. PAM_IGNORE No pam_env.conf and environment file was found or the module got called by pam_authenticate3 . PAM_SUCCESS Environment variables were set. %vendordir%/security/pam_env.conf /etc/security/pam_env.conf Default configuration file %vendordir%/environment /etc/environment Default environment file $HOME/.pam_environment User specific environment file pam_env.conf5 , pam.d5 , pam8 , environ7 . pam_env was written by Dave Kinchlea <kinch@kinch.ark.com>.