/etc/pam.d/system-auth

/etc/pam.d/system-auth is a configuration file for the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) system on Linux. PAM is a flexible mechanism used by Linux systems to authenticate users and provide access control. The system-auth file defines the rules and policies for user authentication and access control, including password policies, account lockout settings, and authentication methods.

This file is used by many Linux distributions, including Red Hat, CentOS, Fedora, and others. It is often included as part of a larger configuration file, such as /etc/pam.d/login, which defines the rules for the login process.

The contents of the system-auth file can vary depending on the Linux distribution and the specific security policies in place. However, some common settings may include:

- Password policies, such as minimum length, complexity requirements, and expiration settings
- Account lockout settings, which can prevent brute-force attacks by locking out accounts after a certain number of failed login attempts
- Authentication methods, such as local password authentication, LDAP authentication, or Kerberos authentication
- Session management policies, such as setting environment variables, limiting resource usage, or logging activity

Overall, the system-auth file plays a critical role in ensuring the security and integrity of Linux systems by defining the rules for user authentication and access control.