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Pluggable Non Interactive Authentication Modules.

Andrey V. Savochkin, saw@msu.ru

and

Alexei V. Galatenko, agalat@castle.nmd.msu.ru

and

Alexander A. Naumov, aln@castle.nmd.msu.ru

21 Oct 1999

This document describes the basics of Pluggable Non Interactive Authentication Modules. It provides applications with a generic interface to authentication related functions. Actions to be done for each authentication request are specified by a system administrator in terms of dynamically loaded modules. PNIAM design incorporates best ideas of PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) project. The main difference between PAM and PNIAM is the target. The main target of PNIAM is a clear and reliable authentication scheme for Internet servers. Internet protocols usually specify a fixed set of requests and replies between the server and the client. It makes the interactive authentication hardly possible. PNIAM deals with a set of requests and replies rather than interacts with the user. That's why words ``Non Interactive'' are in the name.

1. Interface from the application's point of view

2. Interface from module's point of view

3. Administration of PNIAM

4. Resource location

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