getpass

NAME

       getpass - get a password

SYNOPSIS

       #include <pwd.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 character are discarded.  (This may be
       different in Linux.)

       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)

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.