pam_motd

PAM_MOTD(8)                    Linux-PAM Manual                    PAM_MOTD(8)

NAME
       pam_motd - Display the motd file

SYNOPSIS
       pam_motd.so [motd=/path/filename]

DESCRIPTION
       pam_motd is a PAM module that can be used to display arbitrary motd
       (message of the day) files after a successful login. By default the
       /etc/motd file is shown. The message size is limited to 64KB.

OPTIONS
       motd=/path/filename
           The /path/filename file is displayed as message of the day.

       motd_dir=/path/dirname.d
           The /path/dirname.d directory is scanned and each file contained
           inside of it is displayed.

       noupdate
           Don't run the scripts in /etc/update-motd.d to refresh the motd
           file.

       When no options are given, the default is to display both /etc/motd and
       the contents of /etc/motd.d. Specifying either option (or both) will
       disable this default behavior.

       The MOTD_SHOWN=pam environment variable is set after showing the motd
       files, even when all of them were silenced using symbolic links.

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
       Only the session module type is provided.

RETURN VALUES
       PAM_ABORT
           Not all relevant data or options could be obtained.

       PAM_BUF_ERR
           Memory buffer error.

       PAM_IGNORE
           This is the default return value of this module.

EXAMPLES
       The suggested usage for /etc/pam.d/login is:

           session  optional  pam_motd.so

       To use a motd file from a different location:

           session  optional  pam_motd.so motd=/elsewhere/motd

       To use a motd file from elsewhere, along with a corresponding .d
       directory:

           session  optional  pam_motd.so motd=/elsewhere/motd motd_dir=/elsewhere/motd.d

SEE ALSO
       motd(5), pam.conf(5), pam.d(5), pam(7), update-motd(5)

AUTHOR
       pam_motd was written by Ben Collins <bcollins@debian.org>.

       The motd_dir= option was added by Allison Karlitskaya
       <allison.karlitskaya@redhat.com>.

Linux-PAM Manual                  02/02/2023                       PAM_MOTD(8)