6.7. pam_exec - call an external command
Prev | Chapter 6. A reference guide for available modules | Next

## 6.7. pam_exec - call an external command

`pam_exec.so` [ debug ] [ seteuid ] [ log=`file` ] `command` [ `...` ]

### 6.7.1. DESCRIPTION

pam_exec is a PAM module that can be used to run an external command.

### 6.7.2. OPTIONS

`debug`

  Print debug information.

`log=`file``

  The output of the command is appended to `file`

`seteuid`

  Per default pam_exec.so will execute the external command with the real user ID of the calling process. Specifying this option means the command is run with the effective user ID.

### 6.7.3. MODULE SERVICES PROVIDED

The services `auth`, `account`, `password` and `session` are supported.

### 6.7.4. RETURN VALUES

PAM_SUCCESS

  The external command runs successfull.

PAM_SERVICE_ERR

  No argument or a wrong number of arguments were given.

PAM_SYSTEM_ERR

  A system error occured or the command to execute failed.

PAM_IGNORE

  `pam_setcred` was called, which does not execute the command.

### 6.7.5. EXAMPLES

Add the following line to `/etc/pam.d/passwd` to rebuild the NIS database after each local password change:

            passwd optional pam_exec.so seteuid make -C /var/yp

This will execute the command

    make -C /var/yp

with effective user ID.

### 6.7.6. AUTHOR

pam_exec was written by Thorsten Kukuk <kukuk@thkukuk.de>.

Prev | Up | Next
6.6. pam_env - set/unset environment variables | Home | 6.8. pam_filter - filter module