GETPASS(3) MachTen Programmer’s Manual GETPASS(3)

NAME
getpass - get a password

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 character
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)

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 modi-
fy 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.

4.4BSD June 4, 1993 1