getpass(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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GETPASS(3)              NetBSD Library Functions Manual             GETPASS(3)


NAME

     getpass -- get a password


LIBRARY

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)


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 mod-
     ify the same object.


SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS

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

NetBSD 4.0.1                     June 4, 1993                     NetBSD 4.0.1