6.14. pam_limits - limit resources
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## 6.14. pam_limits - limit resources

`pam_limits.so` [ change_uid ] [ conf=`/path/to/limits.conf` ] [ debug ] [ utmp_early ] [ noaudit ]

### 6.14.1. DESCRIPTION

The pam_limits PAM module sets limits on the system resources that can be obtained in a user-session. Users of uid=0 are affected by this limits, too.

By default limits are taken from the `/etc/security/limits.conf` config file. Then individual files from the `/etc/security/limits.d/` directory are read. The files are parsed one after another in the order of "C" locale. The effect of the individual files is the same as if all the files were concatenated together in the order of parsing. If a config file is explicitely specified with a module option then the files in the above directory are not parsed.

The module must not be called by a multithreaded application.

### 6.14.2. DESCRIPTION

The syntax of the lines is as follows:

`<domain>` `<type>` `<item>` `<value>`

The fields listed above should be filled as follows:

`<domain>`

  - a username

  - a groupname, with @group syntax. This should not be confused with netgroups.

  - the wildcard *, for default entry.

  - the wildcard %, for maxlogins limit only, can also be used with %group syntax.

`<type>`
  `hard`

    for enforcing hard resource limits. These limits are set by the superuser and enforced by the Kernel. The user cannot raise his requirement of system resources above such values.

  `soft`

    for enforcing soft resource limits. These limits are ones that the user can move up or down within the permitted range by any pre-exisiting hard limits. The values specified with this token can be thought of as default values, for normal system usage.

  `-`

    for enforcing both soft and hard resource limits together.

    Note, if you specify a type of '-' but neglect to supply the item and value fields then the module will never enforce any limits on the specified user/group etc. .

`<item>`
  `core`

    limits the core file size (KB)

  `data`

    maximum data size (KB)

  `fsize`

    maximum filesize (KB)

  `memlock`

    maximum locked-in-memory address space (KB)

  `nofile`

    maximum number of open files

  `rss`

    maximum resident set size (KB) (Ignored in Linux 2.4.30 and higher)

  `stack`

    maximum stack size (KB)

  `cpu`

    maximum CPU time (minutes)

  `nproc`

    maximum number of processes

  `as`

    address space limit

  `maxlogins`

    maximum number of logins for this user

  `maxsyslogins`

    maximum number of logins on system

  `priority`

    the priority to run user process with (negative values boost process priority)

  `locks`

    maximum locked files (Linux 2.4 and higher)

  `sigpending`

    maximum number of pending signals (Linux 2.6 and higher)

  `msqqueue`

    maximum memory used by POSIX message queues (bytes) (Linux 2.6 and higher)

  `nice`

    maximum nice priority allowed to raise to (Linux 2.6.12 and higher)

  `rtprio`

    maximum realtime priority allowed for non-privileged processes (Linux 2.6.12 and higher)

In general, individual limits have priority over group limits, so if you impose no limits for admin group, but one of the members in this group have a limits line, the user will have its limits set according to this line.

Also, please note that all limit settings are set per login. They are not global, nor are they permanent; existing only for the duration of the session.

In the limits configuration file, the '#' character introduces a comment - after which the rest of the line is ignored.

The pam_limits module does its best to report configuration problems found in its configuration file via syslog(3).

### 6.14.3. OPTIONS

`change_uid`

  Change real uid to the user for who the limits are set up. Use this option if you have problems like login not forking a shell for user who has no processes. Be warned that something else may break when you do this.

`conf=`/path/to/limits.conf``

  Indicate an alternative limits.conf style configuration file to override the default.

`debug`

  Print debug information.

`utmp_early`

  Some broken applications actually allocate a utmp entry for the user before the user is admitted to the system. If some of the services you are configuring PAM for do this, you can selectively use this module argument to compensate for this behavior and at the same time maintain system-wide consistency with a single limits.conf file.

`noaudit`

  Do not report exceeded maximum logins count to the audit subsystem.

### 6.14.4. MODULE SERVICES PROVIDED

Only the `session` service is supported.

### 6.14.5. RETURN VALUES

PAM_ABORT

  Cannot get current limits.

PAM_IGNORE

  No limits found for this user.

PAM_PERM_DENIED

  New limits could not be set.

PAM_SERVICE_ERR

  Cannot read config file.

PAM_SESSEION_ERR

  Error recovering account name.

PAM_SUCCESS

  Limits were changed.

PAM_USER_UNKNOWN

  The user is not known to the system.

### 6.14.6. FILES

`/etc/security/limits.conf`

  Default configuration file

### 6.14.7. EXAMPLES

These are some example lines which might be specified in `/etc/security/limits.conf`.

    *               soft    core            0
    *               hard    rss             10000
    @student        hard    nproc           20
    @faculty        soft    nproc           20
    @faculty        hard    nproc           50
    ftp             hard    nproc           0
    @student        -       maxlogins       4

### 6.14.8. AUTHORS

pam_limits was initially written by Cristian Gafton <gafton@redhat.com>

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