Do I need to recompile PAM-aware application before using a PAM module?

Posted by Vivek Gite [Last updated: September 12, 2006]

Q. Do I need to recompile PAM-aware application before using a PAM module? If so give me an example.

A. Short answer Naa/no.

Long answer:
Pluggable authentication modules or PAM are a mechanism to integrate multiple low-level authentication schemes into a high-level API, which allows for programs that rely on authentication to be written independently of the underlying authentication scheme.

PAM provides a way to develop programs that are independent of authentication scheme. These programs need "authentication modules" to be attatched to them at run-time in order to work. Which authentication module is to be attatched is dependent upon the local system setup and is at the discretion of the local system administrator.

See PAM docs for more info.

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