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PAM_ENV.CONF(5)                                    Linux-PAM Manual                                   PAM_ENV.CONF(5)



NAME
       pam_env.conf, environment - the environment variables config files

DESCRIPTION
       The /etc/security/pam_env.conf file specifies the environment variables to be set, unset or modified by
       pam_env(8). When someone logs in, this file is read and the environment variables are set according.

       Each line starts with the variable name, there are then two possible options for each variable DEFAULT and
       OVERRIDE. DEFAULT allows and administrator to set the value of the variable to some default value, if none is
       supplied then the empty string is assumed. The OVERRIDE option tells pam_env that it should enter in its value
       (overriding the default value) if there is one to use. OVERRIDE is not used, "" is assumed and no override
       will be done.

       VARIABLE [DEFAULT=[value]] [OVERRIDE=[value]]

       (Possibly non-existent) environment variables may be used in values using the ${string} syntax and (possibly
       non-existent) PAM_ITEMs may be used in values using the @{string} syntax. Both the $ and @ characters can be
       backslash escaped to be used as literal values values can be delimited with "", escaped " not supported. Note
       that many environment variables that you would like to use may not be set by the time the module is called.
       For example, HOME is used below several times, but many PAM applications don't make it available by the time
       you need it.

       The "#" character at start of line (no space at front) can be used to mark this line as a comment line.

       The /etc/environment file specifies the environment variables to be set. The file must consist of simple
       NAME=VALUE pairs on separate lines. The pam_env(8) module will read the file after the pam_env.conf file.

EXAMPLES
       These are some example lines which might be specified in /etc/security/pam_env.conf.

       Set the REMOTEHOST variable for any hosts that are remote, default to "localhost" rather than not being set at
       all

                 REMOTEHOST     DEFAULT=localhost OVERRIDE=@{PAM_RHOST}


       Set the DISPLAY variable if it seems reasonable

                 DISPLAY        DEFAULT=${REMOTEHOST}:0.0 OVERRIDE=${DISPLAY}


       Now some simple variables

                 PAGER          DEFAULT=less
                 MANPAGER       DEFAULT=less
                 LESS           DEFAULT="M q e h15 z23 b80"
                 NNTPSERVER     DEFAULT=localhost
                 PATH           DEFAULT=${HOME}/bin:/usr/local/bin:/bin\
                 :/usr/bin:/usr/local/bin/X11:/usr/bin/X11


       Silly examples of escaped variables, just to show how they work.

                 DOLLAR         DEFAULT=\$
                 DOLLARDOLLAR   DEFAULT=        OVERRIDE=\$${DOLLAR}
                 DOLLARPLUS     DEFAULT=\${REMOTEHOST}${REMOTEHOST}