6.40. pam_wheel - only permit root access to members of group wheel
pam_wheel.so [
debug
] [
deny
] [
group=name
] [
root_only
] [
trust
] [
use_uid
]
The pam_wheel PAM module is used to enforce the so-called
wheel group. By default it permits root
access to the system if the applicant user is a member of the
wheel group. If no group with this name exist,
the module is using the group with the group-ID
0.
-
debug
Print debug information.
-
deny
Reverse the sense of the auth operation: if the user
is trying to get UID 0 access and is a member of the
wheel group (or the group of the group option),
deny access. Conversely, if the user is not in the group, return
PAM_IGNORE (unless trust was also specified,
in which case we return PAM_SUCCESS).
-
group=name
Instead of checking the wheel or GID 0 groups, use
the name group
to perform the authentication.
-
root_only
The check for wheel membership is done only when the target user
UID is 0.
-
trust
The pam_wheel module will return PAM_SUCCESS instead
of PAM_IGNORE if the user is a member of the wheel group
(thus with a little play stacking the modules the wheel
members may be able to su to root without being prompted
for a passwd).
-
use_uid
The check will be done against the real uid of the calling process,
instead of trying to obtain the user from the login session
associated with the terminal in use.
6.40.3. MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
The auth and
account module types are provided.
- PAM_AUTH_ERR
Authentication failure.
- PAM_BUF_ERR
Memory buffer error.
- PAM_IGNORE
The return value should be ignored by PAM dispatch.
- PAM_PERM_DENY
Permission denied.
- PAM_SERVICE_ERR
Cannot determine the user name.
- PAM_SUCCESS
Success.
- PAM_USER_UNKNOWN
User not known.
The root account gains access by default (rootok), only wheel
members can become root (wheel) but Unix authenticate non-root
applicants.
su auth sufficient pam_rootok.so
su auth required pam_wheel.so
su auth required pam_unix.so
pam_wheel was written by Cristian Gafton <gafton@redhat.com>.