GETPASS(3)          Linux Programmer's Manual          GETPASS(3)

NAME
       getpass - get a password

SYNOPSIS
       #include <pwd.h>

       char *getpass( const char * prompt );

DESCRIPTION
       The  getpass  function  displays  a prompt to the standard
       error output, and reads in a password from  /dev/tty.   If
       this  file is not accessible, getpass reads from the stan-
       dard input.

       The password may  be  up  to  128  characters  in  length,
       including  a  trailing NUL.  Any additional characters and
       the terminating newline character are discarded.

       Getpass turns off character echoing and disables the  gen-
       eration of signals by tty special characters (interrupt by
       control-C, suspend by control-Z, etc.) while  reading  the
       password.

RETURN VALUES
       Getpass returns a pointer to the null terminated password.

FILES
       /dev/tty

SEE ALSO
       crypt(3)

HISTORY
       A getpass function appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.

BUGS
       The getpass function leaves  its  result  in  an  internal
       static  object and returns a pointer to that object.  Sub-
       sequent calls to getpass will modify the same object.

       The calling process should zero the password  as  soon  as
       possible  to  avoid leaving the cleartext password visible
       in the process's address space.

BSD MANPAGE              29 November 1993                       1