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PAM_TIME

Section: Linux-PAM Manual (8)
Updated: 02/02/2026
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NAME

pam_time - PAM module for time control access

SYNOPSIS

pam_time.so [conffile=conf-file] [debug] [noaudit]

DESCRIPTION

The pam_time PAM module does not authenticate the user, but instead it restricts access to a system and or specific applications at various times of the day and on specific days or over various terminal lines. This module can be configured to deny access to (individual) users based on their name, the time of day, the day of week, the service they are applying for and their terminal from which they are making their request.

By default rules for time/port access are taken from config file /etc/security/time.conf. An alternative file can be specified with the conffile option.

If there is no explicitly specified configuration file and /etc/security/time.conf does not exist, /usr/share/pam/security/time.conf is used.

If Linux PAM is compiled with audit support the module will report when it denies access.

OPTIONS

conffile=/path/to/time.conf

: Indicate an alternative time.conf style configuration file to override the default.

debug

: Some debug information is printed with syslog(3).

noaudit

: Do not report logins at disallowed time to the audit subsystem.

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

Only the account type is provided.

RETURN VALUES

PAM_SUCCESS

: Access was granted.

PAM_ABORT

: Not all relevant data could be gotten.

PAM_BUF_ERR

: Memory buffer error.

PAM_PERM_DENIED

: Access was not granted.

PAM_USER_UNKNOWN

: The user is not known to the system.

FILES

/etc/security/time.conf

: Default configuration file

EXAMPLES

#%PAM-1.0
#
# apply pam_time accounting to login requests
#
login  account  required  pam_time.so

AUTHOR

pam_time was written by Andrew G. Morgan <morgan@kernel.org>.