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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.

MODULE TYPES PROVIDED

Only the session module type is provided.

RETURN VALUES

PAM_IGNORE
This is the only 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)

AUTHOR

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

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

05/18/2018 Linux-PAM Manual