Linux System - Table 12 > Packages - Table 1 & 2 > pam

\"PAM, ``Pluggable Authentication Modules,''; This is the core frameworkthat allows programs which give users access to privileges of any sortneed to be able to authenticate the users. When you log into a system,you provide your name and password, and the login process uses those toauthenticate the login -- to verify that you are who you say you are.Other forms of authentication than passwords are possible, and it ispossible for the passwords to be stored in different ways.\"