pam_open_session(3)

NAME
pam_open_session, pam_close_session - perform PAM session creation and termination operations

SYNOPSIS

cc [ flag ... ] file ... -lpam [ library ... ]
#include <security/pam_appl.h>

int pam_open_session(pam_handle_t *pamh, int flags);

int pam_close_session(pam_handle_t *pamh, int flags);

DESCRIPTION
pam_open_session() is called after a user has been successfully authenticated (refer to pam_authenticate(3) and pam_acct_mgmt(3)) and is used to notify the session modules that a new session has been initiated. All programs that use the pam(3) library should invoke pam_open_session() when beginning a new session. Upon termination of this activity, pam_close_session() should be invoked to inform pam(3) that the session has terminated.

The pamh argument is an authentication handle obtained by a prior call to pam_start(). The following flag may be set in the flags field for pam_open_session() and pam_close_session():

    PAM_SILENT
        The session service should not generate any messages

NOTES
In many instances, the pam_open_session() and pam_close_session() calls may be made by different processes. For example, in UNIX the login process opens a session, while the init process closes the session. In this case, UTMP/WTMP entries may be used to link the call to pam_close_session() with an earlier call to pam_open_session(). This is possible because UTMP/WTMP entries are uniquely identified by a combination of attributes, including the user login name and device name, which are accessible through the PAM handle, pamh. The call to pam_open_session() should precede UTMP/WTMP entry management and the call to pam_close_session() should follow UTMP/WTMP exit management.

RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, PAM_SUCCESS is returned. In addition to the return values defined in pam(3), the following value may be returned on error:

    PAM_SESSION_ERR
        Can not make/remove an entry for the specified session

SEE ALSO
pam(3), pam_start(3), pam_authenticate(3), pam_acct_mgmt(3), getutxent(3C)