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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 charac-ters characters
     ters and the terminating newline character are discarded.

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

RETURN VALUES
     The getpass() function returns a pointer to the null terminated password.

FILES
     /dev/tty

SEE ALSO
     crypt(3), readpassphrase(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.  Subsequent calls to getpass() will modify the same object.

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

     Upon receipt of a SIGTSTP, the input buffer will be flushed, so any partially typed password must be
     retyped when the process continues.

BSD                                             June 4, 1993                                             BSD