PAM_ENV
Section: Linux-PAM Manual (8)
Updated: 02/02/2026
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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. If this file does not exist
/usr/share/pam/security/pam_env.conf
is used. An alternate file can be specified with the
conffile
option, which overrules all other files.
Second a file (/etc/environment
by default) with simple
KEY=VAL
pairs on separate lines will be read. If this file does not exist,
/usr/share/pam/etc/environment
is used. With the
envfile
option an alternate file can be specified, which overrules all other files. 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
/usr/share/pam/security/pam_env.conf, /etc/security/pam_env.conf
-
Default configuration file
/usr/share/pam/environment, /etc/environment
-
Default environment file
$HOME/.pam_environment
-
User specific environment file
SEE ALSO
pam_env.conf(5),
pam.d(5),
pam(8),
environ(7).
AUTHOR
pam_env was written by Dave Kinchlea <kinch@kinch.ark.com>.
Index
- NAME
-
- SYNOPSIS
-
- DESCRIPTION
-
- OPTIONS
-
- MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
-
- RETURN VALUES
-
- FILES
-
- SEE ALSO
-
- AUTHOR
-
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