{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "pam_timestamp",
    "section": "8",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam_timestamp/8/json",
    "generated": "2026-10-05T16:29:08Z",
    "synopsis": "pamtimestamp.so [timestampdir=directory] [timestamptimeout=number] [verbose] [debug]",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "pamtimestamp - Authenticate using cached successful authentication attempts\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SYNOPSIS": {
            "content": "pamtimestamp.so [timestampdir=directory] [timestamptimeout=number] [verbose] [debug]\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "In a nutshell, pamtimestamp caches successful authentication attempts, and allows you to use\na recent successful attempt as the basis for authentication. This is similar mechanism which\nis used in sudo.\n\nWhen an application opens a session using pamtimestamp, a timestamp file is created in the\ntimestampdir directory for the user. When an application attempts to authenticate the user, a\npamtimestamp will treat a sufficiently recent timestamp file as grounds for succeeding.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "OPTIONS": {
            "content": "timestampdir=directory\nSpecify an alternate directory where pamtimestamp creates timestamp files.\n\ntimestamptimeout=number\nHow long should pamtimestamp treat timestamp as valid after their last modification date\n(in seconds). Default is 300 seconds.\n\nverbose\nAttempt to inform the user when access is granted.\n\ndebug\nTurns on debugging messages sent to syslog(3).\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "MODULE TYPES PROVIDED": {
            "content": "The auth and session module types are provided.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "RETURN VALUES": {
            "content": "PAMAUTHERR\nThe module was not able to retrieve the user name or no valid timestamp file was found.\n\nPAMSUCCESS\nEverything was successful.\n\nPAMSESSIONERR\nTimestamp file could not be created or updated.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "NOTES": {
            "content": "Users can get confused when they are not always asked for passwords when running a given\nprogram. Some users reflexively begin typing information before noticing that it is not being\nasked for.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "EXAMPLES": {
            "content": "auth sufficient pamtimestamp.so verbose\nauth required   pamunix.so\n\nsession required pamunix.so\nsession optional pamtimestamp.so\n\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "FILES": {
            "content": "/var/run/pamtimestamp/...\ntimestamp files and directories\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "pamtimestampcheck(8), pam.conf(5), pam.d(5), pam(7)\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "AUTHOR": {
            "content": "pamtimestamp was written by Nalin Dahyabhai.\n\nLinux-PAM                                    05/07/2023                             PAMTIMESTAMP(8)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "pamtimestamp - Authenticate using cached successful authentication attempts",
    "flags": [],
    "examples": [
        "auth sufficient pamtimestamp.so verbose",
        "auth required   pamunix.so",
        "session required pamunix.so",
        "session optional pamtimestamp.so"
    ],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "pamtimestampcheck",
            "section": "8",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pamtimestampcheck/8/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "pam.conf",
            "section": "5",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam.conf/5/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "pam.d",
            "section": "5",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam.d/5/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "pam",
            "section": "7",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/pam/7/json"
        }
    ]
}