---
name: "pam_stress"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "pam"
version: "1.7.3-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pam_stress"
---

# pam\_stress(8)

The stress-testing PAM module

## NAME

pam\_stress - The stress-testing PAM module

## SYNOPSIS

**pam\_stress.so** \[debug\] \[no\_warn\] \[use\_first\_pass\] \[try\_first\_pass\] \[rootok\] \[expired\] \[fail\_1\] \[fail\_2\] \[prelim\] \[required\]

## DESCRIPTION

The pam\_stress PAM module is mainly intended to give the impression of failing as a fully functioning module might.

## OPTIONS

debug

Put lots of information in syslog. \*NOTE\* this option writes passwords to syslog, so don't use anything sensitive when testing.

no\_warn

Do not give warnings about things (otherwise warnings are issued via the conversation function)

use\_first\_pass

Do not prompt for a password, for pam\_sm\_authentication function just use item PAM\_AUTHTOK.

try\_first\_pass

Do not prompt for a password unless there has been no previous authentication token (item PAM\_AUTHTOK is NULL)

rootok

This is intended for the pam\_sm\_chauthtok function and it instructs this function to permit root to change the user's password without entering the old password.

expired

An argument intended for the account and chauthtok module parts. It instructs the module to act as if the user's password has expired

fail\_1

This instructs the module to make its first function fail.

fail\_2

This instructs the module to make its second function (if there is one) fail.

prelim

For pam\_sm\_chauthtok, means fail on PAM\_PRELIM\_CHECK.

required

For pam\_sm\_chauthtok, means fail if the user hasn't already been authenticated by this module. (See stress\_new\_pwd data string in the NOTES.)

## MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

All module types (**auth**, **account**, **password** and **session**) are provided.

## RETURN VALUES

PAM\_BUF\_ERR

Memory buffer error.

PAM\_PERM\_DENIED

Permission denied.

PAM\_AUTH\_ERR

Access to the system was denied.

PAM\_CONV\_ERR

Conversation failure.

PAM\_SUCCESS

The function passes all checks.

PAM\_USER\_UNKNOWN

The user is not known to the system.

PAM\_CRED\_ERR

Failure involving user credentials.

PAM\_NEW\_AUTHTOK\_REQD

Authentication token is no longer valid; new one required.

PAM\_SESSION\_ERR

Session failure.

PAM\_TRY\_AGAIN

Failed preliminary check by service.

PAM\_AUTHTOK\_LOCK\_BUSY

Authentication token lock busy.

PAM\_AUTHTOK\_ERR

Authentication token manipulation error.

PAM\_SYSTEM\_ERR

System error.

## NOTES

This module uses the stress\_new\_pwd data string which tells pam\_sm\_chauthtok that pam\_sm\_acct\_mgmt says we need a new password. The only possible value for this data string is 'yes'.

## EXAMPLES

```
#%PAM-1.0
#
# Any of the following will suffice
account  required pam_stress.so
auth     required pam_stress.so
password required pam_stress.so
session  required pam_stress.so
```

## SEE ALSO

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

## AUTHORS

The pam\_stress PAM module was developed by Andrew Morgan \<morgan@linux.kernel.org\>. The man page for pam\_stress was written by Lucas Ramage \<ramage.lucas@protonmail.com\>.