Configuring the PAM Service

A mistake in the PAM configuration file can lock users out of the system completely. Always back up the configuration files before performing any changes, and keep a session open so that any changes can be reverted.

SSSD provides a PAM module, sssd_pam, which instructs the system to use SSSD to retrieve user information. The PAM configuration must include a reference to the SSSD module, and then the SSSD configuration sets how SSSD interacts with PAM.

To configure the PAM service:

The Authentication Configuration tool automatically writes to the /etc/pam.d/system-auth-ac file, which is symlinked to /etc/pam.d/system-auth. Any changes made to /etc/pam.d/system-auth are overwritten the next time that authconfig is run.

So, remove the /etc/pam.d/system-auth symlink.

[root@server ~]# rm /etc/pam.d/system-auth
rm: remove symbolic link `/etc/pam.d/system-auth'? y

Create a new /etc/pam.d/system-auth-local file. One easy way to do this is simply to copy the /etc/pam.d/system-auth-ac file.
```
[root@server ~]# cp /etc/pam.d/system-auth-ac /etc/pam.d/system-auth-local
```
Create a new symlink between the /etc/pam.d/system-auth-local file and /etc/pam.d/system-auth.
```
[root@server ~]# ln -s /etc/pam.d/system-auth-local /etc/pam.d/system-auth
```

Edit the /etc/pam.d/system-auth-local file, and add all of the SSSD modules to the PAM configuration:

#%PAM-1.0
...
auth        sufficient    pam_sss.so use_first_pass
auth        required      pam_deny.so
...
account [default=bad success=ok user_unknown=ignore] pam_sss.so
account     required      pam_permit.so
...
password    sufficient    pam_sss.so use_authtok
password    required      pam_deny.so
...
session     sufficient    pam_sss.so
session     required      pam_unix.so

These modules can be set to include statements, as necessary.

Open the sssd.conf file.
```
# vim /etc/sssd/sssd.conf
```

Make sure that PAM is listed as one of the services that works with SSSD.

[sssd]
config_file_version = 2
reconnection_retries = 3
sbus_timeout = 30
services = nss, pam

In the [pam] section, change any of the PAM parameters. These are listed in Table 28.2, "SSSD [pam] Configuration Parameters".

[pam]
reconnection_retries = 3
offline_credentials_expiration = 2
offline_failed_login_attempts = 3
offline_failed_login_delay = 5

Restart SSSD.

service sssd restart

Table 28.2. SSSD [pam] Configuration Parameters

Parameter	Value Format	Description
offline_credentials_expiration	integer	Sets how long, in days, to allow cached logins if the authentication provider is offline. This value is measured from the last successful online login. If not specified, this defaults to zero (`0`), which is unlimited.
offline_failed_login_attempts	integer	Sets how many failed login attempts are allowed if the authentication provider is offline. If not specified, this defaults to zero (`0`), which is unlimited.
offline_failed_login_delay	integer	Sets how long to prevent login attempts if a user hits the failed login attempt limit. If set to zero (`0`), the user cannot authenticate while the provider is offline once he hits the failed attempt limit. Only a successful online authentication can re-enable offline authentication. If not specified, this defaults to five (5).