GETPASS Section: Linux Programmer's Manual (3) Updated: 29 November 2025 Index   NAME getpass - get a password   SYNOPSIS #include <pwd.h> char *getpass( const char * prompt );   DESCRIPTION The getpass function displays a prompt to the standard error output, and reads in a password from /dev/tty. If this file is not accessible, getpass reads from the standard input. The password may be up to 128 characters in length, including a trailing NUL. Any additional characters and the terminating newline character are discarded. Getpass turns off character echoing and disables the generation of signals by tty special characters (interrupt by control-C, suspend by control-Z, etc.) while reading the password.   RETURN VALUES Getpass returns a pointer to the null terminated password.   FILES /dev/tty   SEE ALSO   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 password visible in the process's address space.   Index NAME SYNOPSIS DESCRIPTION RETURN VALUES FILES SEE ALSO HISTORY BUGS This document was created by using the manual pages. Time: 11:58:03 GMT, March 24, 2025