pam_ck_connector

pam_ck_connector.so [options]

no options
    pam_ck_connector typically doesn't accept any explicit command-line options in the PAM configuration file.

The pam_ck_connector PAM module is designed to integrate PAM authentication with ConsoleKit. It sets up the user's session in ConsoleKit upon successful authentication, allowing ConsoleKit to manage the user's sessions, including tracking whether the user is actively logged in and granting or denying access to system resources based on their login status.

It is primarily used to inform ConsoleKit about the user's login status, so that applications and services can adapt their behavior appropriately. The module is typically invoked during the 'session' stage of the PAM authentication process (specifically as a session-opening module).

By correctly configuring pam_ck_connector, administrators can enable applications to respond dynamically to user logins and logouts, granting access to certain resources only when a user is actively logged in to the console. This integration is crucial for desktop environments that rely on ConsoleKit or its successor (like systemd-logind) for session management.

pam_ck_connector is largely obsolete as ConsoleKit itself is deprecated. Most modern systems use systemd-logind for session management, making this module less relevant. Using it on systems without ConsoleKit installed might lead to errors.

To configure pam_ck_connector, you must add a line to the /etc/pam.d/common-session file (or similar PAM configuration files depending on the distribution). It usually looks like:
session required pam_ck_connector.so
This line ensures that the module is called when a session is opened, informing ConsoleKit about the new session.

pam_ck_connector was developed as part of the ConsoleKit project, which aimed to provide a system for managing user sessions and controlling access to system resources. Its main usage was during the heyday of ConsoleKit as the standard session management tool.

pam.conf(5), ConsoleKit, systemd-logind