---
name: "pam_wheel"
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_wheel"
---

# pam\_wheel(8)

Only permit root access to members of group wheel

## NAME

pam\_wheel - Only permit root access to members of group wheel

## SYNOPSIS

**pam\_wheel.so** \[debug\] \[deny\] \[group=*name*\] \[root\_only\] \[trust\] \[use\_uid\]

## DESCRIPTION

The pam\_wheel PAM module is used to enforce the so-called *wheel* group. By default it permits access to the target user if the applicant user is a member of the *wheel* group. If no group with this name exist, the module is using the group with the group-ID **0**.

## OPTIONS

debug

Print debug information.

deny

Reverse the sense of the auth operation: if the user is trying to get UID 0 access and is a member of the wheel group (or the group of the **group** option), deny access. Conversely, if the user is not in the group, return PAM\_IGNORE (unless **trust** was also specified, in which case we return PAM\_SUCCESS).

group=name

Instead of checking the wheel or GID 0 groups, use the *name* group to perform the authentication.

root\_only

The check for wheel membership is done only when the target user UID is 0.

trust

The pam\_wheel module will return PAM\_SUCCESS instead of PAM\_IGNORE if the user is a member of the wheel group (thus with a little play stacking the modules the wheel members may be able to su to root without being prompted for a passwd).

use\_uid

The check will be done against the real uid of the calling process, instead of trying to obtain the user from the login session associated with the terminal in use.

## MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

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

## RETURN VALUES

PAM\_AUTH\_ERR

Authentication failure.

PAM\_BUF\_ERR

Memory buffer error.

PAM\_IGNORE

The return value should be ignored by PAM dispatch.

PAM\_PERM\_DENY

Permission denied.

PAM\_SERVICE\_ERR

Cannot determine the user name.

PAM\_SUCCESS

Success.

PAM\_USER\_UNKNOWN

User not known.

## EXAMPLES

The root account gains access by default (rootok), only wheel members can become root (wheel) but Unix authenticate non-root applicants.

```
su      auth     sufficient     pam_rootok.so
su      auth     required       pam_wheel.so
su      auth     required       pam_unix.so
```

## SEE ALSO

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

## AUTHOR

pam\_wheel was written by Cristian Gafton \<gafton@redhat.com\>.