---
name: "pam_passwdqc"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "libpam-passwdqc"
version: "2.0.3-2+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pam_passwdqc"
---

# pam\_passwdqc(8)

Password quality-control PAM module

## NAME

**pam\_passwdqc** – Password quality-control PAM module

## SYNOPSIS

\[*service-name*\] *module-type* *control-flag* *pam\_passwdqc* \[*options*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **pam\_passwdqc** module is a simple password strength checking module for PAM. In addition to checking regular passwords, it offers support for passphrases and can provide randomly generated ones.

The **pam\_passwdqc** module provides functionality for only one PAM management group: password changing. In terms of the *module-type* parameter, this is the “password” feature.

The **pam\_chauthtok**() service function may ask the user for a new password, and verify that it meets certain minimum standards. If the chosen password is unsatisfactory, the service function returns PAM\_AUTHTOK\_ERR.

The set of options that may be passed to the module is exactly the same as the set of options that may be specified in the configuration file (suggested location */etc/passwdqc.conf*, to be specified in the **config=/etc/passwdqc.conf** option).  These options are described in [passwdqc.conf(5)](/passwdqc.conf/5.md).

## SEE ALSO

[pam.conf(5)](/pam.conf/5.md), [passwdqc.conf(5)](/passwdqc.conf/5.md), [pam(8)](/pam/8.md).

https://www.openwall.com/passwdqc/

## AUTHORS

The **pam\_passwdqc** module was written for Openwall GNU/\*/Linux by Solar Designer ⟨solar at openwall.com⟩. This manual page was written for the FreeBSD Project by ThinkSec AS and NAI Labs, the Security Research Division of Network Associates, Inc. under DARPA/SPAWAR contract N66001-01-C-8035 (“CBOSS”), as part of the DARPA CHATS research program. It has since been revised, most importantly to refer to [passwdqc.conf(5)](/passwdqc.conf/5.md) instead of describing the options right on this page.