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)


STANDARDS

     The getpass() function appeared in Version 2 of the Single UNIX
     Specification (``SUSv2''), but it was already marked as legacy.  The
     function was removed in the IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (``POSIX.1'') standard.


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
     modify 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 6.1.2                      May 6, 2010                     NetBSD 6.1.2