---
name: "pam_strerror"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "OpenPAM"
version: "35"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pam_strerror"
---

# pam\_strerror(3)

get PAM standard error message string

## NAME

**pam\_strerror** – get PAM standard error message string

## LIBRARY

library “libpam”

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/types.h\>**

**#include \<security/pam\_appl.h\>**

*const char \**\

**pam\_strerror**(*const pam\_handle\_t \*pamh*, *int error\_number*);

## DESCRIPTION

The **pam\_strerror** function returns a pointer to a string containing a textual description of the error indicated by the *error\_number* argument, in the context of the PAM transaction described by the *pamh* argument.

## RETURN VALUES

The **pam\_strerror** function returns NULL on failure.

## SEE ALSO

[pam(3)](/pam/3.md)

## STANDARDS

*X/Open Single Sign-On Service (XSSO) - Pluggable Authentication Modules*, June 1997.

## AUTHORS

The **pam\_strerror** function and this manual page were developed for the FreeBSD Project by ThinkSec AS and Network Associates Laboratories, 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.