Manual: pam_selinux

PAM_SELINUX(8)					      Linux-PAM Manual					      PAM_SELINUX(8)

NAME
       pam_selinux - PAM module to set the default security context

SYNOPSIS

       pam_selinux.so [open] [close] [restore] [nottys] [debug] [verbose] [select_context] [env_params] [use_current_range]

DESCRIPTION
       pam_selinux is a PAM module that sets up the default SELinux security context for the next executed process.

       When a new session is started, the open_session part of the module computes and sets up the execution security
       context used for the next execve(2) call, the file security context for the controlling terminal, and the security
       context used for creating a new kernel keyring.

       When the session is ended, the close_session part of the module restores old security contexts that were in effect
       before the change made by the open_session part of the module.

       Adding pam_selinux into the PAM stack might disrupt behavior of other PAM modules which execute applications. To
       avoid that, pam_selinux.so open should be placed after such modules in the PAM stack, and pam_selinux.so close should
       be placed before them. When such a placement is not feasible, pam_selinux.so restore could be used to temporary
       restore original security contexts.

OPTIONS
       open
	   Only execute the open_session part of the module.

       close
	   Only execute the close_session part of the module.

       restore
	   In open_session part of the module, temporarily restore the security contexts as they were before the previous
	   call of the module. Another call of this module without the restore option will set up the new security contexts
	   again.

       nottys
	   Do not setup security context of the controlling terminal.

       debug
	   Turn on debug messages via syslog(3).

       verbose
	   Attempt to inform the user when security context is set.

       select_context
	   Attempt to ask the user for a custom security context role. If MLS is on, ask also for sensitivity level.

       env_params
	   Attempt to obtain a custom security context role from PAM environment. If MLS is on, obtain also sensitivity
	   level. This option and the select_context option are mutually exclusive. The respective PAM environment variables
	   are SELINUX_ROLE_REQUESTED, SELINUX_LEVEL_REQUESTED, and SELINUX_USE_CURRENT_RANGE. The first two variables are
	   self describing and the last one if set to 1 makes the PAM module behave as if the use_current_range was
	   specified on the command line of the module.

       use_current_range
	   Use the sensitivity level of the current process for the user context instead of the default level. Also
	   suppresses asking of the sensitivity level from the user or obtaining it from PAM environment.

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
       Only the session module type is provided.

RETURN VALUES
       PAM_SUCCESS
	   The security context was set successfully.

       PAM_SESSION_ERR
	   Unable to get or set a valid context.

       PAM_USER_UNKNOWN
	   The user is not known to the system.

       PAM_BUF_ERR
	   Memory allocation error.

EXAMPLES
	   auth	    required  pam_unix.so
	   session  required  pam_permit.so
	   session  optional  pam_selinux.so

SEE ALSO
       execve(2), tty(4), pam.d(5), pam(7), selinux(8)

AUTHOR
       pam_selinux was written by Dan Walsh .

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