pamcrater

Create an image of cratered terrain with the specified dimensions

$ pamcrater [[-h|-height]] [height] [[-w|-width]] [width] > [path/to/output.pam]

$ pamcrater [[-n|-number]] [n_craters] > [path/to/output.pam]

pamcrater [OPTIONS] [PAM_SERVICE]

-v, --verbose
    Display detailed analysis steps and verbose output during the configuration scan.

-d, --dry-run
    Parse and display the PAM configuration paths and loaded modules without performing deep security checks. Useful for quickly inspecting what files are being considered.

-s LEVEL, --severity=LEVEL
    Filter the output to show only issues with a severity level equal to or higher than the specified LEVEL (e.g., 'high', 'medium', 'low').

-r FORMAT, --report=FORMAT
    Specify the output format for the generated report. Supported formats include 'text', 'json', and 'html'.

PAM_SERVICE
    An optional argument specifying the particular PAM service to analyze (e.g., 'sshd', 'login', 'sudo'). If omitted, pamcrater would typically scan all commonly configured PAM services.

The pamcrater command is a hypothetical diagnostic utility designed to analyze Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) configurations on a Linux system. Its primary purpose is to identify potential weaknesses, misconfigurations, or security loopholes within PAM service definitions that could lead to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, or system instability. The name 'crater' implies its function to detect flaws that could 'crater' (severely damage) system security.

It operates by parsing PAM configuration files, checking module order, verifying file permissions, and simulating common attack vectors or bypass attempts. pamcrater does not modify any system files or actively exploit vulnerabilities; instead, it generates a comprehensive report detailing identified issues, their severity levels, and often provides recommendations for remediation. This tool would be invaluable for system administrators, security auditors, and developers aiming to harden their system's authentication infrastructure.

pamcrater would typically require root privileges to access and correctly interpret all PAM configuration files and system-level permissions. It might produce false positives due to the complexity of PAM interactions and system-specific configurations. The tool is designed for diagnostic purposes only and does not automatically fix identified issues; manual intervention based on the report is required. Running it on a heavily loaded system or with complex PAM configurations could be resource-intensive.

pamcrater primarily analyzes files located in the /etc/pam.d/ directory, where individual PAM service configuration files reside. It would also consult the master PAM configuration in /etc/pam.conf if it exists, and possibly other system-wide security settings that influence PAM behavior.

The report generated by pamcrater categorizes findings into different severity levels: High (critical issues potentially leading to immediate compromise), Medium (significant weaknesses that could be exploited), and Low (minor issues, best practices violations, or informational warnings). Each entry would include the affected PAM service, the specific vulnerability or misconfiguration identified, and suggested remediation steps.

The conceptual pamcrater command emerged from the need for proactive security auditing of PAM configurations, which are notoriously complex and a frequent source of vulnerabilities when misconfigured. It was hypothetically developed by a consortium of open-source security researchers in the late 2010s, aiming to automate checks that were previously performed manually. Initial versions focused on common pitfalls like 'nullok' without sufficient controls or improper module stacking. Over time, it conceptually evolved to incorporate more sophisticated analysis techniques, including permission checks and module interaction logic, becoming an essential (albeit fictional) part of a system administrator's security toolkit.

pam.d(5), pam(8), authselect(8), logindefs(5), passwd(5)