# pam_get_item

## NAME



           pam_get_item - getting PAM information
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **#include <security/pam_modules.h>**
    
           **int pam_get_item(const pam_handle_t ***_pamh_**, int** _item_type_**,**
                            **const void ****_item_**);**
    


## DESCRIPTION



           The **pam_get_item** function allows applications and PAM service
           modules to access and retrieve PAM information of _item_type_. Upon
           successful return, _item_ contains a pointer to the value of the
           corresponding item. Note, this is a pointer to the _actual_ data and
           should **not** be _free()_ 'ed or over-written! The following values are
           supported for _item_type_ :
    
           PAM_SERVICE
               The service name (which identifies that PAM stack that the PAM
               functions will use to authenticate the program).
    
           PAM_USER
               The username of the entity under whose identity service will
               be given. That is, following authentication, _PAM_USER_
               identifies the local entity that gets to use the service.
               Note, this value can be mapped from something (eg.,
               "anonymous") to something else (eg. "guest119") by any module
               in the PAM stack. As such an application should consult the
               value of _PAM_USER_ after each call to a PAM function.
    
           PAM_USER_PROMPT
               The string used when prompting for a user's name. The default
               value for this string is a localized version of "login: ".
    
           PAM_TTY
               The terminal name: prefixed by /dev/ if it is a device file;
               for graphical, X-based, applications the value for this item
               should be the _$DISPLAY_ variable.
    
           PAM_RUSER
               The requesting user name: local name for a locally requesting
               user or a remote user name for a remote requesting user.
    
               Generally an application or module will attempt to supply the
               value that is most strongly authenticated (a local account
               before a remote one. The level of trust in this value is
               embodied in the actual authentication stack associated with
               the application, so it is ultimately at the discretion of the
               system administrator.
    
               _PAM_RUSER@PAM_RHOST_ should always identify the requesting
               user. In some cases, _PAM_RUSER_ may be NULL. In such
               situations, it is unclear who the requesting entity is.
    
           PAM_RHOST
               The requesting hostname (the hostname of the machine from
               which the _PAM_RUSER_ entity is requesting service). That is
               _PAM_RUSER@PAM_RHOST_ does identify the requesting user. In some
               applications, _PAM_RHOST_ may be NULL. In such situations, it is
               unclear where the authentication request is originating from.
    
           PAM_AUTHTOK
               The authentication token (often a password). This token should
               be ignored by all module functions besides
               pam_sm_authenticate(3) and pam_sm_chauthtok(3). In the former
               function it is used to pass the most recent authentication
               token from one stacked module to another. In the latter
               function the token is used for another purpose. It contains
               the currently active authentication token.
    
           PAM_OLDAUTHTOK
               The old authentication token. This token should be ignored by
               all module functions except pam_sm_chauthtok(3).
    
           PAM_CONV
               The pam_conv structure. See pam_conv(3).
    
           The following additional items are specific to Linux-PAM and
           should not be used in portable applications:
    
           PAM_FAIL_DELAY
               A function pointer to redirect centrally managed failure
               delays. See pam_fail_delay(3).
    
           PAM_XDISPLAY
               The name of the X display. For graphical, X-based applications
               the value for this item should be the _$DISPLAY_ variable. This
               value may be used independently of _PAM_TTY_ for passing the
               name of the display.
    
           PAM_XAUTHDATA
               A pointer to a structure containing the X authentication data
               required to make a connection to the display specified by
               _PAM_XDISPLAY_ , if such information is necessary. See
               pam_xauth_data(3).
    
           PAM_AUTHTOK_TYPE
               The default action is for the module to use the following
               prompts when requesting passwords: "New UNIX password: " and
               "Retype UNIX password: ". The example word _UNIX_ can be
               replaced with this item, by default it is empty. This item is
               used by pam_get_authtok(3).
    
           If a service module wishes to obtain the name of the user, it
           should not use this function, but instead perform a call to
           pam_get_user(3).
    
           Only a service module is privileged to read the authentication
           tokens, PAM_AUTHTOK and PAM_OLDAUTHTOK.
    


## RETURN VALUES



           PAM_BAD_ITEM
               The application attempted to set an undefined or inaccessible
               item.
    
           PAM_BUF_ERR
               Memory buffer error.
    
           PAM_PERM_DENIED
               The value of _item_ was NULL.
    
           PAM_SUCCESS
               Data was successful updated.
    
           PAM_SYSTEM_ERR
               The _pam_handle_t_ passed as first argument was invalid.
    


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