Red Hat Training

A Red Hat training course is available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux

13.2.6. Configuring Services: PAM

Warning

A mistake in the PAM configuration file can lock users out of the system completely. Always back up the configuration files before performing any changes, and keep a session open so that any changes can be reverted.
SSSD provides a PAM module, sssd_pam, which instructs the system to use SSSD to retrieve user information. The PAM configuration must include a reference to the SSSD module, and then the SSSD configuration sets how SSSD interacts with PAM.

Procedure 13.3. Configuring PAM

  1. Use authconfig to enable SSSD for system authentication.
    # authconfig --update --enablesssd --enablesssdauth
    This automatically updates the PAM configuration to reference all of the SSSD modules:
    #%PAM-1.0
    # This file is auto-generated.
    # User changes will be destroyed the next time authconfig is run.
    auth        required      pam_env.so
    auth        sufficient    pam_unix.so nullok try_first_pass
    auth        requisite     pam_succeed_if.so uid >= 500 quiet
    auth sufficient pam_sss.so use_first_pass
    auth        required      pam_deny.so
    
    account     required      pam_unix.so 
    account     sufficient    pam_localuser.so
    account     sufficient    pam_succeed_if.so uid < 500 quiet
    account [default=bad success=ok user_unknown=ignore] pam_sss.so
    account     required      pam_permit.so
    
    password    requisite     pam_cracklib.so try_first_pass retry=3
    password    sufficient    pam_unix.so sha512 shadow nullok try_first_pass use_authtok
    password sufficient pam_sss.so use_authtok
    password    required      pam_deny.so
    
    session     optional      pam_keyinit.so revoke
    session     required      pam_limits.so
    session     [success=1 default=ignore] pam_succeed_if.so service in crond quiet use_uid
    session sufficient pam_sss.so
    session     required      pam_unix.so
    These modules can be set to include statements, as necessary.
  2. Open the sssd.conf file.
    # vim /etc/sssd/sssd.conf
  3. Make sure that PAM is listed as one of the services that works with SSSD.
    [sssd]
    config_file_version = 2
    reconnection_retries = 3
    sbus_timeout = 30
    services = nss, pam
  4. In the [pam] section, change any of the PAM parameters. These are listed in Table 13.3, “SSSD [pam] Configuration Parameters”.
    [pam]
    reconnection_retries = 3
    offline_credentials_expiration = 2
    offline_failed_login_attempts = 3
    offline_failed_login_delay = 5
  5. Restart SSSD.
    ~]# service sssd restart

Table 13.3. SSSD [pam] Configuration Parameters

Parameter Value Format Description
offline_credentials_expiration integer Sets how long, in days, to allow cached logins if the authentication provider is offline. This value is measured from the last successful online login. If not specified, this defaults to zero (0), which is unlimited.
offline_failed_login_attempts integer Sets how many failed login attempts are allowed if the authentication provider is offline. If not specified, this defaults to zero (0), which is unlimited.
offline_failed_login_delay integer Sets how long to prevent login attempts if a user hits the failed login attempt limit. If set to zero (0), the user cannot authenticate while the provider is offline once he hits the failed attempt limit. Only a successful online authentication can re-enable offline authentication. If not specified, this defaults to five (5).