NAME

allocate - device allocation

SYNOPSIS

allocate [ -s ] [ -U uname ] device

allocate [ -s ] [ -U uname ] -g dev-type

allocate [ -s ] [ -U uname ] -F device

AVAILABILITY

The functionality described in this man page is available only if the Basic Security Module (BSM) has been enabled. See bsmconv(1M) for more information.

DESCRIPTION

allocate manages the ownership of devices through its allocation mechanism. It ensures that each device is used by only one qualified user at a time.

The device argument specifies the device to be manipulated. To preserve the integrity of the device's owner, the allocate operation is executed on all the device special files associated with that device.

The argument dev-type, is the device type to be operated on. The argument dev-type, can only be used with the -g option.

The default allocate operation, allocates the device special files associated with device to the uid of the current process.

If the -F option is specified, the device cleaning program is executed when allocation is performed. This cleaning program is found in /etc/security/lib. The name of this program is found in the device_allocate(4) entry for the device in the dev-exec field.

OPTIONS

-g dev-type

Allocate a non-allocated device with a device-type matching dev-type.

-s

Silent. Suppresses any diagnostic output.

-F device

Reallocate the device allocated to another user. This option is often used with -U to reallocate a specific device to a specific user. Only the super user is permitted to use this option.

-U uname

Use the user ID uname instead of the user ID of the current process when performing the allocate operation. Only the super user is permitted to use this option.

DIAGNOSTICS

allocate returns an nonzero exit status in the event of an error.

FILES

/etc/security/device_allocate

/etc/security/device_maps
/etc/security/dev/*
/etc/security/lib/*

SEE ALSO

bsmconv(1M), device_allocate(4), device_maps(4)