PAM_SM_ACCT_MGMT(3)

💅 PAM_SM_ACCT_MGMT(3) — like, the account management service function, bestie 🎀

okay so real talk, this is a page straight out of the Linux-PAM Manual and we're about to get so into it. grab a boba, we're learning 🧋✨

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✨ NAME ✨

pam_sm_acct_mgmt — the PAM service function for account management, periodt 👑

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

#include <security/pam_modules.h>

int pam_sm_acct_mgmt(pam_handle_t *pamh, int flags, int argc,
                     const char **argv);

like, that's the whole signature. iconic. no notes. 💅

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so pam_sm_acct_mgmt is literally the service module's implementation of the pam_acct_mgmt(3) interface. that's it, that's the vibe 🫶

this function performs the task of establishing whether the user is permitted to gain access at this time. and to be so clear about it: it should be understood that the user has previously been validated by an authentication module — so we're not re-checking if they're who they say they are, bestie, that's somebody else's whole job 🙈 this function checks for other things. like what, you ask? such things might be:

• the time of day ⏰
• the date 📅
• the terminal line 🖥️
• the remote hostname 🌐
• etc., etc., iykyk

this function may also determine things like the expiration on passwords, and respond that the user change it before continuing. like "girl, your password is expired, fix it before you come in here" 😭💀

valid flags, which may be logically OR'd with PAM_SILENT, are:

• PAM_SILENT — do not emit any messages. shhh. 🤫
• PAM_DISALLOW_NULL_AUTHTOK — return PAM_AUTH_ERR if the database of authentication tokens for this authentication mechanism has a NULL entry for the user. no cap, null tokens do NOT pass go 🚫

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🔥 RETURN VALUES 🔥

• PAM_ACCT_EXPIRED — user account has expired. and not in the cute "expired like milk" way, in the "you cannot get in" way 💀
• PAM_AUTH_ERR — authentication failure. it's giving error energy 😭
• PAM_NEW_AUTHTOK_REQD — the user's authentication token has expired. before calling this function again the application will arrange for a new one to be given. this will likely result in a call to pam_sm_chauthtok(). so like, chain reaction, main character energy ✨
• PAM_PERM_DENIED — permission denied. the audacity 💅
• PAM_SUCCESS — the authentication token was successfully updated. slay! ate and left no crumbs 👑
• PAM_USER_UNKNOWN — user unknown to password service. who is she. where did she come from. not in my database 🕵️‍♀️

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

pam(3), pam_acct_mgmt(3), pam_sm_chauthtok(3), pam_strerror(3), PAM(8)

like go read those too, they're all linked and they all matter, fr fr 🫶

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⚠️ quick vibe check: this page is dated 07/08/2026 and comes from Linux-PAM. that's the source and version, bestie, do with that what you will 🌸

anyway ily, go forth and manage those accounts 💖🎀🦋🧚‍♀️⭐