pam_env.conf
5
Linux-PAM Manual
pam_env.conf
the environment variables config file
DESCRIPTION
The pam_env 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.
The /etc/security/pam_env.conf file specifies
the environment variables to be set, unset or modified.
When someone logs in, this file is
read and the environment variables are set according.
Each line starts with the variable name, there are then two possible
options for each variable DEFAULT and OVERRIDE. DEFAULT allows and
administrator to set the value of the variable to some default
value, if none is supplied then the empty string is assumed. The
OVERRIDE option tells pam_env that it should enter in its value
(overriding the default value) if there is one to use. OVERRIDE is
not used, "" is assumed and no override will be done.
VARIABLE
[DEFAULT=[value]]
[OVERRIDE=[value]]
(Possibly non-existent) environment variables may be used in values
using the ${string} syntax and (possibly non-existent) PAM_ITEMs may
be used in values using the @{string} syntax. Both the $ and @
characters can be backslash escaped to be used as literal values
values can be delimited with "", escaped " not supported.
Note that many environment variables that you would like to use
may not be set by the time the module is called.
For example, HOME is used below several times, but
many PAM applications don't make it available by the time you need it.
The "#" character at start of line (no space
at front) can be used to mark this line as a comment line.
EXAMPLES
These are some example lines which might be specified in
/etc/security/pam_env.conf.
Set the REMOTEHOST variable for any hosts that are remote, default
to "localhost" rather than not being set at all
REMOTEHOST DEFAULT=localhost OVERRIDE=@{PAM_RHOST}
Set the DISPLAY variable if it seems reasonable
DISPLAY DEFAULT=${REMOTEHOST}:0.0 OVERRIDE=${DISPLAY}
Now some simple variables
PAGER DEFAULT=less
MANPAGER DEFAULT=less
LESS DEFAULT="M q e h15 z23 b80"
NNTPSERVER DEFAULT=localhost
PATH DEFAULT=${HOME}/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin\
:/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin/X11:/usr/bin/X11
Silly examples of escaped variables, just to show how they work.
DOLLAR DEFAULT=\$
DOLLARDOLLAR DEFAULT= OVERRIDE=\$${DOLLAR}
DOLLARPLUS DEFAULT=\${REMOTEHOST}${REMOTEHOST}
ATSIGN DEFAULT="" OVERRIDE=\@
SEE ALSO
pam_env8,
pam.d5,
pam8
AUTHORS
pam_env was written by Dave Kinchlea <kinch@kinch.ark.com>.