---
name: "pam_timestamp"
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_timestamp"
---

# pam\_timestamp(8)

Authenticate using cached successful authentication attempts

## NAME

pam\_timestamp - Authenticate using cached successful authentication attempts

## SYNOPSIS

**pam\_timestamp.so** \[timestampdir=*directory*\] \[timestamp\_timeout=*number*\] \[verbose\] \[debug\]

## DESCRIPTION

In a nutshell, *pam\_timestamp* caches successful authentication attempts, and allows you to use a recent successful attempt as the basis for authentication. This is similar mechanism which is used in **sudo**.

When an application opens a session using *pam\_timestamp*, a timestamp file is created in the *timestampdir* directory for the user. When an application attempts to authenticate the user, a *pam\_timestamp* will treat a sufficiently recent timestamp file as grounds for succeeding.

## OPTIONS

timestampdir=directory

Specify an alternate directory where *pam\_timestamp* creates timestamp files.

timestamp\_timeout=number

How long should *pam\_timestamp* treat timestamp as valid after their last modification date (in seconds). Default is 300 seconds.

verbose

Attempt to inform the user when access is granted.

debug

Turns on debugging messages sent to [**syslog**(3)](/syslog/3.md).

## MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

The **auth** and **session** module types are provided.

## RETURN VALUES

PAM\_AUTH\_ERR

The module was not able to retrieve the user name or no valid timestamp file was found.

PAM\_SUCCESS

Everything was successful.

PAM\_SESSION\_ERR

Timestamp file could not be created or updated.

## NOTES

Users can get confused when they are not always asked for passwords when running a given program. Some users reflexively begin typing information before noticing that it is not being asked for.

## EXAMPLES

```
auth sufficient pam_timestamp.so verbose
auth required   pam_unix.so
session required pam_unix.so
session optional pam_timestamp.so
```

## FILES

/var/run/pam\_timestamp/...

timestamp files and directories

## SEE ALSO

[**pam\_timestamp\_check**(8)](/pam_timestamp_check/8.md), [**pam.conf**(5)](/pam.conf/5.md), [**pam.d**(5)](/pam.d/5.md), [**pam**(8)](/pam/8.md)

## AUTHOR

pam\_timestamp was written by Nalin Dahyabhai.