Manual: pam_env

PAM_ENV(8)					      Linux-PAM Manual						  PAM_ENV(8)

NAME
       pam_env - PAM module to set/unset environment variables

SYNOPSIS

       pam_env.so [debug] [conffile=conf-file] [envfile=env-file] [readenv=0|1] [user_envfile=env-file] [user_readenv=0|1]

DESCRIPTION
       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.

       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.

       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_setcred(3) or pam_open_session(3). The module does
       nothing and returns PAM_IGNORE if called by pam_authenticate(3).

OPTIONS
       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 syslog(3).

       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.

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
       The auth and session module types are provided.

RETURN VALUES
       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_authenticate(3).

       PAM_SUCCESS
	   Environment variables were set.

FILES
       /etc/security/pam_env.conf
	   Default configuration file

       /etc/environment
	   Default environment file

       $HOME/.pam_environment
	   User specific environment file

SEE ALSO
       pam_env.conf(5), pam.d(5), pam(7), environ(7).

AUTHOR
       pam_env was written by Dave Kinchlea .

Linux-PAM						 07/16/2026						  PAM_ENV(8)