# phpman > man > pam_securetty(8)

[PAM_SECURETTY(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PAMSECURETTY/8/markdown)                          Linux-PAM Manual                          [PAM_SECURETTY(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PAMSECURETTY/8/markdown)



## NAME
       pam_securetty - Limit root login to special devices

## SYNOPSIS
       **pam**___**securetty.so** [debug]

## DESCRIPTION
       pam_securetty is a PAM module that allows root logins only if the user is logging in on a
       "secure" tty, as defined by the listing in the securetty file. pam_securetty checks at first,
       if /etc/securetty exists. If not and it was built with vendordir support, it will use
       <vendordir>/securetty. pam_securetty also checks that the securetty files are plain files and
       not world writable. It will also allow root logins on the tty specified with **console=** switch
       on the kernel command line and on ttys from the /sys/class/tty/console/active.

       This module has no effect on non-root users and requires that the application fills in the
       **PAM**___**TTY** item correctly.

       For canonical usage, should be listed as a **required** authentication method before any
       **sufficient** authentication methods.

## OPTIONS
### debug
           Print debug information.

### noconsole
           Do not automatically allow root logins on the kernel console device, as specified on the
           kernel command line or by the sys file, if it is not also specified in the securetty
           file.

## MODULE TYPES PROVIDED
       Only the **auth** module type is provided.

## RETURN VALUES
       PAM_SUCCESS
           The user is allowed to continue authentication. Either the user is not root, or the root
           user is trying to log in on an acceptable device.

       PAM_AUTH_ERR
           Authentication is rejected. Either root is attempting to log in via an unacceptable
           device, or the securetty file is world writable or not a normal file.

       PAM_BUF_ERR
           Memory buffer error.

       PAM_CONV_ERR
           The conversation method supplied by the application failed to obtain the username.

       PAM_INCOMPLETE
           The conversation method supplied by the application returned PAM_CONV_AGAIN.

       PAM_SERVICE_ERR
           An error occurred while the module was determining the user's name or tty, or the module
           could not open the securetty file.

       PAM_USER_UNKNOWN
           The module could not find the user name in the /etc/passwd file to verify whether the
           user had a UID of 0. Therefore, the results of running this module are ignored.

## EXAMPLES
           auth  required  pam_securetty.so
           auth  required  pam_unix.so



## SEE ALSO
       [**securetty**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/securetty/5/markdown), [**pam.conf**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam.conf/5/markdown), [**pam.d**(5)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam.d/5/markdown), [**pam**(7)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam/7/markdown)

## AUTHOR
       pam_securetty was written by Elliot Lee <<sopwith@cuc.edu>>.



Linux-PAM Manual                             06/08/2020                             [PAM_SECURETTY(8)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/PAMSECURETTY/8/markdown)