[Bug 613246] Re: -1 not a valid limit for nofile in limits.conf

[Steve Langasek]

** Changed in: pam (Ubuntu)
       Status: New => Triaged

** Changed in: pam (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided => Low

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/613246

Title:
  -1 not a valid limit for nofile in limits.conf

Status in “pam” package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  The LIMITS.CONF(5) manual states:

    All items support the values -1, unlimited or infinity indicating no
  limit, except for priority and nice.

  However, this line in limits.conf appears to have no affect:

    *                -       nofile          -1

  Whereas this line works as expected (sets ulimit -n to 100000):

    *                -       nofile          100000

  Turning on debugging for pam_limits.so doesn't give any more
  indication that -1 is invalid for nofile:

    pam_limits(login:session): process_limit: processing - nofile -1 for
  DEFAULT

  The same line is logged for valid limits:

    pam_limits(login:session): process_limit: processing - nofile 100000
  for DEFAULT

  The LIMITS.CONF(5) man page does stipulate:

    If a hard limit or soft limit of a resource is set to a valid value,
  but outside of the supported range of the local system, the system may
  reject the new limit or unexpected behavior may occur.

  So it seems having pam_limits not apply isn't entirely undocumented,
  however it'd be nice if nofile & -1 were explicitly mentioned.