---
name: "secure_getenv"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/getenv"
---

# secure\_getenv(3)

get an environment variable

Part of [getenv(3)](/getenv/3.md).

## NAME

getenv, secure\_getenv - get an environment variable

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <stdlib.h>
```

**char \*getenv(const char \****name***);** **char \*secure\_getenv(const char \****name***);**

Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see [**feature\_test\_macros**(7)](/feature_test_macros/7.md)):

**secure\_getenv**():

```
    _GNU_SOURCE
```

## DESCRIPTION

The **getenv**() function searches the environment list to find the environment variable *name*, and returns a pointer to the corresponding *value* string.

The **secure\_getenv**() function is just like **getenv**() except that it returns NULL in cases where "secure execution" is required. Secure execution is required if one of the following conditions was true when the program run by the calling process was loaded:

- •

  the process's effective user ID did not match its real user ID or the process's effective group ID did not match its real group ID (typically this is the result of executing a set-user-ID or set-group-ID program);

- •

  the effective capability bit was set on the executable file; or

- •

  the process has a nonempty permitted capability set.

Secure execution may also be required if triggered by some Linux security modules.

The **secure\_getenv**() function is intended for use in general-purpose libraries to avoid vulnerabilities that could occur if set-user-ID or set-group-ID programs accidentally trusted the environment.

## RETURN VALUE

The **getenv**() function returns a pointer to the value in the environment, or NULL if there is no match.

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **getenv**(), **secure\_getenv**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe env |

## STANDARDS

- **getenv**()

  C11, POSIX.1-2008.

- **secure\_getenv**()

  POSIX.1-2024.

## HISTORY

- **getenv**()

  POSIX.1-2001, C89, C99, SVr4, 4.3BSD.

- **secure\_getenv**()

  POSIX.1-2024, glibc 2.17.

## NOTES

The strings in the environment list are of the form *name=value*.

As typically implemented, **getenv**() returns a pointer to a string within the environment list. The caller must take care not to modify this string, since that would change the environment of the process.

The implementation of **getenv**() is not required to be reentrant. The string pointed to by the return value of **getenv**() may be statically allocated, and can be modified by a subsequent call to **getenv**(), [**putenv**(3)](/putenv/3.md), [**setenv**(3)](/setenv/3.md), or [**unsetenv**(3)](/unsetenv/3.md).

The "secure execution" mode of **secure\_getenv**() is controlled by the **AT\_SECURE** flag contained in the auxiliary vector passed from the kernel to user space.

## SEE ALSO

[**clearenv**(3)](/clearenv/3.md), [**getauxval**(3)](/getauxval/3.md), [**putenv**(3)](/putenv/3.md), [**setenv**(3)](/setenv/3.md), [**unsetenv**(3)](/unsetenv/3.md), [**capabilities**(7)](/capabilities/7.md), [**environ**(7)](/environ/7.md)