PAM_MOTD(8) Linux-PAM Manual PAM_MOTD(8)
NAME
pam_motd - Display the motd file
SYNOPSIS
pam_motd.so [motd=/path/filename] [motd_dir=/path/dirname.d]
DESCRIPTION
pam_motd is a PAM module that can be used to display arbitrary motd
(message of the day) files after a successful login. By default,
pam_motd shows files in the following locations:
/etc/motd
/run/motd
/usr/lib/motd
/etc/motd.d/
/run/motd.d/
/usr/lib/motd.d/
Each message size is limited to 64KB.
If /etc/motd does not exist, then /run/motd is shown. If /run/motd does
not exist, then /usr/lib/motd is shown.
Similar overriding behavior applies to the directories. Files in
/etc/motd.d/ override files with the same name in /run/motd.d/ and
/usr/lib/motd.d/. Files in /run/motd.d/ override files with the same
name in /usr/lib/motd.d/.
Files the in the directories listed above are displayed in
lexicographic order by name.
To silence a message, a symbolic link with target /dev/null may be
placed in /etc/motd.d with the same filename as the message to be
silenced. Example: Creating a symbolic link as follows silences
/usr/lib/motd.d/my_motd.
ln -s /dev/null /etc/motd.d/my_motd
The MOTD_SHOWN=pam environment variable is set after showing the motd
files, even when all of them were silenced using symbolic links.
OPTIONS
motd=/path/filename
The /path/filename file is displayed as message of the day.
Multiple paths to try can be specified as a colon-separated list.
By default this option is set to /etc/motd:/run/motd:/usr/lib/motd.
motd_dir=/path/dirname.d
The /path/dirname.d directory is scanned and each file contained
inside of it is displayed. Multiple directories to scan can be
specified as a colon-separated list. By default this option is set
to /etc/motd.d:/run/motd.d:/usr/lib/motd.d.
noupdate
Don't run the scripts in /etc/update-motd.d to refresh the motd
file.
When no options are given, the default behavior applies for both
options. Specifying either option (or both) will disable the default
behavior for both options.
MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
Only the session module type is provided.
RETURN VALUES
PAM_ABORT
Not all relevant data or options could be obtained.
PAM_BUF_ERR
Memory buffer error.
PAM_IGNORE
This is the default return value of this module.
EXAMPLES
The suggested usage for /etc/pam.d/login is:
session optional pam_motd.so
To use a motd file from a different location:
session optional pam_motd.so motd=/elsewhere/motd
To use a motd file from elsewhere, along with a corresponding .d
directory:
session optional pam_motd.so motd=/elsewhere/motd motd_dir=/elsewhere/motd.d
SEE ALSO
motd(5), pam.conf(5), pam.d(5), pam(7), update-motd(5)
AUTHOR
pam_motd was written by Ben Collins <bcollins@debian.org>.
The motd_dir= option was added by Allison Karlitskaya
<allison.karlitskaya@redhat.com>.
Linux-PAM Manual 06/08/2020 PAM_MOTD(8)
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