PWSERV(8)

NAME
pwserv - password verification service

SYNOPSIS
/etc/pwserv

DESCRIPTION
Pwserv, normally started from rc(8), handles password verification requests initiated by (say) pwquery(3) through the conventional process mount point When a request is made a file descriptor (called the `line' below) is passed to pwserv together with a user name and an optional parameter string. Normally, pwserv writes a prompt on the line, reads a reply, and returns an indication of success to the invoking client. Valid passwords are taken from the file which lists for each user an ordinary (encrypted, crypt(3)-style) password and an SNK (Secure Net Key) challenge-response key. Before prompting, an FIOPX IO control is attempted to render the line to the end user private; see pex(4). If this succeeds either a classical or an Atalla password is accepted. If the pex bid fails, the prompt warns that the line is not private, and only an SNK response is accepted.

In the pexed case the prompt looks like Password(pjw:31416): and in the unpexed case like Password(TAPPED LINE:01492): The five digit string after the colon is the Atalla challenge string. Only the first five digits of the Atalla response string are significant. Hex digits in the response must be typed in lower case.

Possible values of the optional parameter string are

pex (specified by opening the server with ipcopen("/cs/pw!pex") ) Accept passwords only if the FIOPX succeeds.

When the line's stream identifier asserts previous confirmation of the same password, pwserv answers affirmatively without demanding a password; see session(1) and src(5).

FILES

SEE ALSO
pwquery(3), ipc(3), pex(4), stream(4), pwfile(5), passwd(1)

BUGS
Jammable.