getpass(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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GETPASS(3)                NetBSD Programmer's Manual                GETPASS(3)


NAME

     getpass - get a password


SYNOPSIS

     #include <pwd.h>
     #include <unistd.h>

     char *
     getpass(const char *prompt);


DESCRIPTION

     The getpass() function displays a prompt to, and reads in a password
     from, /dev/tty. If this file is not accessible, getpass displays the
     prompt on the standard error output and reads from the standard input.

     The password may be up to _PASSWORD_LEN (currently 128) characters in
     length.  Any additional characters and the terminating newline character
     are discarded.

     Getpass turns off character echoing while reading the password.


RETURN VALUES

     Getpass returns a pointer to the null terminated password.


FILES

     /dev/tty


SEE ALSO

     crypt(3)


HISTORY

     A getpass function appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.


BUGS

     The getpass function leaves its result in an internal static object and
     returns a pointer to that object.  Subsequent calls to getpass will modi-
     fy the same object.

     The calling process should zero the password as soon as possible to avoid
     leaving the cleartext password visible in the process's address space.

4.4BSD                           June 4, 1993                                1