Service manual

183Appendix J Linux-PAM
Cyclades-TS Installation & Service Manual
scheme with the behavior of an application is made with entries in the relevant Linux-PAM configuration file. The
management functions are performed by modules specified in the configuration file.
Here is a figure that describes the overall organization of Linux-PAM.
Application: X
Authentication
+
[conversation()]
service user
Linux-PAM
X auth .. a.so
X auth .. b.so
X auth .. c.so
X account .. b.so
X account .. d.so
X password .. b.so
X session .. e.so
X session .. c.so
Y
ath .. g.so
auth
account
password
session
a b c
b d
b
e c
pam.conf
X: stack
By way of explanation, the left of the figure represents the application; application X. Such an application interfaces
with the Linux-PAM library and knows none of the specifics of its configured authentication method. The Linux-
PAM library (in the center) consults the contents of the PAM configuration file and loads the modules that are
appropriate for application-X. These modules fall into one of four management groups (lower-center) and are
stacked in the order they appear in the configuration file. These modules, when called by Linux-PAM, perform the