PAM Slot numbers - trouble understanding the scenario

[Dan Yefimov]

On 13.10.2009 0:26, Julian Bui wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm trying to figure out the options that PAM uses.
>
> One option that caught my eye is the slot number option found in
> pam_pkcs11.conf, since this sounds like it could possibly help me map
> devices to session logins on a multi-seat desktop.
>
> Anyway, the documentation reads: "
> slot_num=<nr>
>
>     Slot-number to use: 1 for the first, 2 for the second and so on. The
>     default value is 0, which means to use the first slot with an
>     available token."
>
> I am confused as to what the slots are.  This documentation/description
> may seem obvious to you guys, but I do not know what it means.  I am
> having trouble understanding the hardware setup and the
> scenario/usecase.  Is this for multiple security devices (like 3 smart
> card readers, for example) ?  Maybe slot_num=2 means it uses the CAC
> card in card reader #2 for the login?  Why would this be useful?  How do
> you assign IDs to the devices?  Maybe I'm completely misinterpreting
> this option.
>
First of all, the 'slot=' parameter, you meantioned, is global, IOW, it is the 
same for ALL login instances, thus it isn't helpful for multi-seat 
installations. From the excerpt, you provided, it's clear, that the 'slot=' 
parameter is the number of token device to use for logging the user in. The 
number of the particular device depends on the bus scanning order.
-- 

Sincerely Your, Dan.