Bug 515248

Summary:	KScreenLocker requires PAM service file called `kde`, but new `plasma-login-manager` creates `plasmalogin`
Product:	[Plasma] plasmashell	Reporter:	Edmund <edmund>
Component:	Screen locking	Assignee:	Plasma Bugs List <plasma-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED LATER
Severity:	normal	CC:	edmund, kde
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	6.5.5
Target Milestone:	1.0
Platform:	Arch Linux
OS:	All
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Edmund 2026-01-29 10:02:14 UTC

SUMMARY

`KScreenLocker` requires a PAM service called `kde` (cf. this [README.pam](https://invent.kde.org/plasma/kscreenlocker/-/blob/master/README.pam?ref_type=heads)).

However, `plasma-login-manager` creates a PAM service file named `plasmalogin`.

This new file name needs to be reflected in KScreenLocker for it to work with `plasma-login-manager`.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. Install `plasma-login-manager`.
2. Make sure any local kde PAM service was removed (e.g. /usr/lib/pam.d/kde).
3. Lock the screen and try to unlock it.

This can be circumvented by creating a softlink plasmalogin -> kde.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Linux/KDE Plasma: Archlinux
KDE Plasma Version: 6.5.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.22.0
Qt Version: 6.10.1

Comment 1 David Edmundson 2026-01-29 10:09:26 UTC

>2. Make sure any local kde PAM service was removed (e.g. /usr/lib/pam.d/kde).

Don't do that! 

>3. Lock the screen and try to unlock it.

In theory pam should then fall back to something existing.

----

At this point in time I'm not sure we want them to share the same pam file, they are architectured differently especially with regards to handling non-interactive methods. 

It's something we'll fix up later.

Comment 2 Edmund 2026-01-29 11:34:26 UTC

(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #1)
> >2. Make sure any local kde PAM service was removed (e.g. /usr/lib/pam.d/kde).
> 
> Don't do that! 

Oops! My bad - I assumed that file was installed via SDDM, not KScreenLocker.

Better close this. Apologies for the noise.

Comment 3 Edmund 2026-01-29 19:22:24 UTC

(In reply to David Edmundson from comment #1)
> >2. Make sure any local kde PAM service was removed (e.g. /usr/lib/pam.d/kde).
> 
> Don't do that! 

Out of sheer interest: Is that file provided by upstream? I see [here](https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/packaging/packages/kscreenlocker/-/blob/main/kde.pam?ref_type=heads) that Archlinux apparently provides its own. I saw the same for FreeBSD. Presumably because each distro is unique in its PAM/login requirements?