pam_smxs is a PAM module for user authentication via challenge-response mechanism.
I recently had a chance to test out pam_smxs, a PAM module that provides challenge-response authentication for users. The module is currently compatible with all tokens that support ANSI X9.9 and offers full support for CryptoCard RB1 tokens.
To install the module from source, users can simply unpack the tarball using the command 'tar -zxvf pam_smxs-1.6-1.tar.gz', navigate to the directory using 'cd pam_smxs-1.6', and use the command './configure --enable-rb1' followed by a 'make' command. Resulting in a pam_smxs.so file being created in the current directory. Finally, a 'make install' command can be used to install the module.
To configure the module, the user must first locate the /etc/pam.d/xxx file, where xxx stands for the desired service, and edit it using the appropriate text editor. In the default case, the xxx value will be 'login'. Once editing the file, the user must ensure that 'pam_smxs.so' is included in the 'auth', 'account', 'password', and 'session' sections, replacing the original files that supported the relevant section. The module should now function properly.
Users can also refer to the PAM documentation for additional detailed configuration directives. Once everything is set up, users can use the 'cryptoadm' program to add, remove, or modify authentication users.
Overall, I found pam_smxs to be a reliable and versatile PAM module that offers robust challenge-response authentication capabilities with a wide range of compatible tokens, thanks to its ability to support ANSI X9.9. While the setup process may be slightly involved, it is easy enough to configure once the user understands which files and commands to use.
To install the module from source, users can simply unpack the tarball using the command 'tar -zxvf pam_smxs-1.6-1.tar.gz', navigate to the directory using 'cd pam_smxs-1.6', and use the command './configure --enable-rb1' followed by a 'make' command. Resulting in a pam_smxs.so file being created in the current directory. Finally, a 'make install' command can be used to install the module.
To configure the module, the user must first locate the /etc/pam.d/xxx file, where xxx stands for the desired service, and edit it using the appropriate text editor. In the default case, the xxx value will be 'login'. Once editing the file, the user must ensure that 'pam_smxs.so' is included in the 'auth', 'account', 'password', and 'session' sections, replacing the original files that supported the relevant section. The module should now function properly.
Users can also refer to the PAM documentation for additional detailed configuration directives. Once everything is set up, users can use the 'cryptoadm' program to add, remove, or modify authentication users.
Overall, I found pam_smxs to be a reliable and versatile PAM module that offers robust challenge-response authentication capabilities with a wide range of compatible tokens, thanks to its ability to support ANSI X9.9. While the setup process may be slightly involved, it is easy enough to configure once the user understands which files and commands to use.
What's New
Version 1.6: N/A