Lab activity

PAM Basics

Learn how PAM works in Linux and how to configure authentication, password policies, account lockouts, and service-specific security settings.

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Overview

Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) provide a flexible framework for managing authentication, authorization, account policies, and session management in Linux. In this lab, you will learn the fundamentals of PAM and explore how Linux services use PAM to control user access and security policies. You will examine PAM configuration files, understand PAM module types and control flags, configure password quality requirements, and explore account lockout and authentication settings used by services such as login, sudo, and SSH.

In This Lab, You’ll Learn How To

  • Understand the purpose and architecture of PAM
  • Explore service-specific PAM configuration files
  • Identify PAM module types and control flags
  • Configure password complexity requirements
  • Examine account lockout policies using pam_faillock
  • Review authentication settings for login, sudo, and SSH
  • Create and analyze PAM configuration reports

Key PAM Components

  • auth modules for user authentication
  • account modules for account validation
  • password modules for password management
  • session modules for session setup and cleanup
  • pam_pwquality for password complexity enforcement
  • pam_faillock for failed login tracking and account lockouts

Command Examples

View PAM service configurations:

ls /etc/pam.d/

View login PAM configuration:

cat /etc/pam.d/login

View password quality settings:

cat /etc/security/pwquality.conf

Check account lockout configuration:

cat /etc/security/faillock.conf

Validate PAM-related settings:

grep -r "pam_limits" /etc/pam.d/

Learning Outcomes

  • Understand how PAM controls Linux authentication
  • Identify key PAM configuration files and modules
  • Configure password quality requirements
  • Examine account lockout and authentication policies
  • Develop practical Linux security administration skills

Conclusion

Completing this lab will help you gain hands-on experience with PAM configuration and authentication management in Linux. You will learn how PAM integrates with system services and how security policies can be enforced through modular authentication settings. These skills are important for Linux system administration, LFCS preparation, and managing secure authentication environments.