ldap.conf, .ldaprc - ldap configuration file

/etc/ldap/ldap.conf, .ldaprc

If the environment variable LDAPNOINIT is defined, all defaulting is disabled.

The ldap.conf configuration file is used to set system-wide defaults to be applied when running ldap clients.

Users may create an optional configuration file, ldaprc or .ldaprc, in their home directory which will be used to override the system-wide defaults file. The file ldaprc in the current working directory is also used.

Additional configuration files can be specified using the LDAPCONF and LDAPRC environment variables. LDAPCONF may be set to the path of a configuration file. This path can be absolute or relative to the current working directory. The LDAPRC, if defined, should be the basename of a file in the current working directory or in the user's home directory.

Environmental variables may also be used to augment the file based defaults. The name of the variable is the option name with an added prefix of LDAP. For example, to define BASE via the environment, set the variable LDAPBASE to the desired value.

Some options are user-only. Such options are ignored if present in the ldap.conf (or file specified by LDAPCONF).

The different configuration options are:

BASE <base>

Specifies the default base DN to use when performing ldap operations. The base must be specified as a Distinguished Name in LDAP format.

BINDDN <dn>

Specifies the default bind DN to use when performing ldap operations. The bind DN must be specified as a Distinguished Name in LDAP format. This is a user-only option.

HOST <name[:port] ...>

Specifies the name(s) of an LDAP server(s) to which the ldap library should connect. Each server's name can be specified as a domain-style name or an IP address and optionally followed by a ':' and the port number the ldap server is listening on. A space separated list of hosts may be provided. HOST is deprecated in favor of URI.

PORT <port>

Specifies the default port used when connecting to LDAP servers(s). The port may be specified as a number. PORT is deprecated in favor of URI.

SIZELIMIT <integer>

Specifies a size limit to use when performing searches. The number should be a non-negative integer. SIZELIMIT of zero (0) specifies unlimited search size.

TIMELIMIT <integer>

Specifies a time limit to use when performing searches. The number should be a non-negative integer. TIMELIMIT of zero (0) specifies unlimited search time to be used.

DEREF <when>

Specifies how alias dereferencing is done when performing a search. The <when> can be specified as one of the following keywords:

never

Aliases are never dereferenced. This is the default.

searching

Aliases are dereferenced in subordinates of the base object, but not in locating the base object of the search.

finding

Aliases are only dereferenced when locating the base object of the search.

always

Aliases are dereferenced both in searching and in locating the base object of the search.

If OpenLDAP is built with Simple Authentication and Security Layer support, there are more options you can specify.

SASL_MECH <mechanism>

Specifies the SASL mechanism to use. This is a user-only option.

SASL_REALM <realm>

Specifies the SASL realm. This is a user-only option.

SASL_AUTHCID <authcid>

Specifies the authentication identity. This is a user-only option.

SASL_AUTHZID <authcid>

Specifies the proxy authorization identity. This is a user-only option.

SASL_SECPROPS <properties>

Specifies Cyrus SASL security properties. The <properties> can be specified as a comma-separated list of the following:

none

(without any other properties) causes the properties defaults ("noanonymous,noplain") to be cleared.

noplain

disables mechanisms susceptible to simple passive attacks.

noactive

disables mechanisms susceptible to active attacks.

nodict

disables mechanisms susceptible to passive dictionary attacks.

noanonymous

disables mechanisms which support anonymous login.

forwardsec

requires forward secrecy between sessions.

passcred

requires mechanisms which pass client credentials (and allows mechanisms which can pass credentials to do so).

minssf=<factor>

specifies the minimum acceptable security strength factor as an integer approximating the effective key length used for encryption. 0 (zero) implies no protection, 1 implies integrity protection only, 56 allows DES or other weak ciphers, 112 allows triple DES and other strong ciphers, 128 allows RC4, Blowfish and other modern strong ciphers. The default is 0.

maxssf=<factor>

specifies the maximum acceptable security strength factor as an integer (see minssf description). The default is INT_MAX.

maxbufsize=<factor>

specifies the maximum security layer receive buffer size allowed. 0 disables security layers. The default is 65536.

SIZELIMIT <integer>

Specifies a size limit to use when performing searches. The number should be a non-negative integer. SIZELIMIT of zero (0) specifies unlimited search size.

TIMELIMIT <integer>

Specifies a time limit to use when performing searches. The number should be a non-negative integer. TIMELIMIT of zero (0) specifies unlimited search time to be used.

DEREF <when>

Specifies how alias dereferencing is done when performing a search. The <when> can be specified as one of the following keywords:

never

Aliases are never dereferenced. This is the default.

searching

Aliases are dereferenced in subordinates of the base object, but not in locating the base object of the search.

finding

Aliases are only dereferenced when locating the base object of the search.

always

Aliases are dereferenced both in searching and in locating the base object of the search.

If OpenLDAP is built with Transport Layer Security support, there are more options you can specify. These options are used when an ldaps:// URI is selected (by default or otherwise) or when the application negotiates TLS by issuing the LDAP Start TLS operation.

TLS_CACERT <filename>

Specifies the file that contains certificates for all of the Certificate Authorities the client will recognize.

TLS_CACERTDIR <path>

Specifies the path of a directory that contains Certificate Authority certificates in separate individual files. The TLS_CACERT is always used before TLS_CACERTDIR.

TLS_CERT <filename>

Specifies the file that contains the client certificate. This is a user-only option.

TLS_KEY <filename>

Specifies the file that contains the private key that matches the certificate stored in the TLS_CERT file. Currently, the private key must not be protected with a password, so it is of critical importance that the key file is protected carefully. This is a user-only option.

TLS_RANDFILE <filename>

Specifies the file to obtain random bits from when /dev/[u]random is not available. Generally set to the name of the EGD/PRNGD socket. The environment variable RANDFILE can also be used to specify the filename.

TLS_REQCERT <level>

Specifies what checks to perform on server certificates in a TLS session, if any. The <level> can be specified as one of the following keywords:

never

The client will not request or check any server certificate.

allow

The server certificate is requested. If no certificate is provided, the session proceeds normally. If a bad certificate is provided, it will be ignored and the session proceeds normally.

try

The server certificate is requested. If no certificate is provided, the session proceeds normally. If a bad certificate is provided, the session is immediately terminated.

demand | hard

These keywords are equivalent. The server certificate is requested. If no certificate is provided, or a bad certificate is provided, the session is immediately terminated. This is the default setting.

LDAPNOINIT

disable all defaulting

LDAPCONF

path of a configuration file

LDAPRC

basename of ldaprc file in $HOME or $CWD

LDAP<option-name>

Set <option-name> as from ldap.conf

/etc/ldap/ldap.conf

system-wide ldap configuration file

$HOME/ldaprc, $HOME/.ldaprc

user ldap configuration file

$CWD/ldaprc

local ldap configuration file

ldap(3)

Kurt Zeilenga, The OpenLDAP Project

is developed and maintained by The OpenLDAP Project (http://www.openldap.org/). is derived from University of Michigan LDAP 3.3 Release.