sys.auth_userpwd()

Purpose:

sys.auth_userpwd() uses the OS to authenticate a username/password on the server.

Usage:

ret = sys.auth_userpwd(<username>,<passwd>);

Arguments:

alpha <username>

alpha <password>

Returns:

0 - User authenticated OK.

-1 - User authentication failed.

Where Used:

sys.auth_userpwd() can be called from anywhere. Most common uses of sys.auth_userpwd() include unlocking the workstation and allowing access to privileged application programs.

Example:

See the lockscreen.s and getpwd.1 program in the demo application for an example.

Description:

sys.auth_userpwd() can be used to authenticate a username/password on the 4c server host. sys.auth_userpwd() sends a message to the 4csrvrd daemon program which uses the underlying OS security system to do the authentication. It is more secure to use sys.auth_userpwd() to verify a user's credentials than to use your own password mechanism. Another advantage of using sys.auth_userpwd() over maintaining your own passwd file is that there is no need to try to keep multiple passwords for the same user name in sync. sys.auth_userpwd() can be used with any username known to the OS. It is not necessary to use the currently authenticated user, though that is the more common case.

sys.auth_userpwd() does not change the credentials of the current 4csrvr process in any way.

Bugs/Features/Comments:

When sys.auth_userpwd() fails, it is not possible to tell if the failure was due to expired passwd or invalid passwd.

See Also:

Sys PCLs List