PAM_WHEEL(8)                             Linux-PAM Manual                            PAM_WHEEL(8)



NAME
       pam_wheel - Only permit root access to members of group wheel

SYNOPSIS
       pam_wheel.so [debug] [deny] [group=name] [root_only] [trust]

DESCRIPTION
       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.

OPTIONS
       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.

       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).

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
       The auth and account module types are provided.

RETURN VALUES
       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.

EXAMPLES
       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



SEE ALSO
       pam.conf(5), pam.d(5), pam(7)

AUTHOR
       pam_wheel was written by Cristian Gafton <gafton AT redhat.com>.



Linux-PAM Manual                            09/19/2013                               PAM_WHEEL(8)