kcheckpass/README


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The KCheckPass authentication software:
-----------------------------------------

KCheckPass is KDE's authentication program. It is meant to be
used by any software in need of user authentication, most
notably screensavers.

It enhances security be the following means:

- It's only a small program, which is hopefully simple enough to
  allow it to be SUID root. Setting it to SUID root is necessary
  on Shadow Password systems.
- No other program in need of user authentication, must be
  SUID root.
- It provides a single implementation to check passwords. So one
  only must take a closer look at KCheckPass to ensure password
  security. It's much easier for programs using KCheckPass to
  preserve security.


Technique:
----------
KCheckPass is a simple password checker. Just invoke and
send it the password on stdin.

If the password was accepted, the program exits with 0;
if it was rejected, it exits with 1. Any other exit
code signals an error.


Compilation hints:
------------------
Compile with -DHAVE_VSYSLOG if you have vsyslog().
Compile with -DHAVE_PAM if you have a PAM system, and link with -lpam -ldl
  (If libdl is present).
Compile with -DHAVE_SHADOW if you have a shadow password system.

Copyright, Author and License notice:
-------------------------------------
Copyright (C) 1998, Caldera, Inc.
Released under the GNU General Public License

Olaf Kirch <okir@caldera.de>      General Framework and PAM support
Christian Esken <esken@kde.org>   Shadow and /etc/passwd support
Oswald Buddenhagen <ossi@kde.org> Binary conversation interface, etc.

Some parts were taken from kscreensaver's passwd.cpp

Currently this software is maintained by Oswald Buddenhagen <ossi@kde.org>.
Please send new authentication modules (checkpass_*.c) to me.