GETPASS(3)						   BSD Library Functions Manual 						GETPASS(3)

NAME

     getpass -- get a password

LIBRARY

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

SYNOPSIS

     #include <pwd.h>
     #include <unistd.h>

     char *
     getpass(const char *prompt);

DESCRIPTION

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

     The password may be up to _PASSWORD_LEN (currently 128) characters in length.  Any additional characters and the terminating newline charac-
     ter are discarded.

     getpass() turns off character echoing while reading the password.

RETURN VALUES

     getpass() returns a pointer to the null terminated password.

FILES

     /dev/tty

SEE ALSO

     crypt(3)

STANDARDS

     The getpass() function appeared in Version 2 of the Single UNIX Specification (``SUSv2''), but it was already marked as legacy.  The function
     was removed in the IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (``POSIX.1'') standard.

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.  Subsequent calls to getpass()
     will modify the same object.

SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS

     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
								    May 6, 2010 							       BSD