factotum (software)

factotum is a password management and authentication protocol negotiation virtual file system for Plan 9 from Bell Labs. When a program wants to authenticate to a service, it requests a key from factotum. If factotum does not have the key, it requests it from the users either via the terminal window or auth/fgui which is then stored in volatile memory. factotum then authenticates to the service on behalf of the program. For long term storage, keys are usually stored in secstore or in an encrypted file.

auth/fgui adding a key to factotum

See also

• Comparison of password managers
• List of password managers
• Password manager
• Cryptography

External links

• factotum(4) in Plan 9 Programmer's Manual, Volume 1.
• factotum(4) in 9front.
• Security in Plan 9 in Plan 9 Programmer's Manual, Volume 2.