running system command in perl and setuid problem

[geffry]

I have a perl file in cgi-bin dir, which needs to run a system command, which requires root priviledge. my apache server runs as user nobody, so i changed the setuid of the perl script (chmod 4711 xyz.pl ), when i run i get the below error

Insecure dependency in `` while running setuid at /dev/fd/5 line 31

the line 31 is

system(`/usr/apache/bin/htpasswd -b /asamsit/http/htpass/.htpasswd $user $passw
d`);
--------------------------------
my $user;
my $passwd;
print "User : $ENV{REMOTE_USER} \n";

$user = $ENV{REMOTE_USER};
$passwd = $form{pw};
print "<HR>";
print "new password : $form{pw} ";


system(`/usr/apache/bin/htpasswd -b /asamsit/http/htpass/.htpasswd $user $passw
d`);

print "</body></html>\n";

 

[MikeLacey]

Getting setuid Perl scripts to work properly *will* give you ulcers. (did me anyway)

I eventually sidestepped the issue altogether and installed sudo which lets you run jobs as root/whoever with no fuss.

Mike

"Deliver me from the bane of civilised life; teddy bear envy."

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at faq219-2884

 

[nmlsupport]

I have a similar problem too.
I run the perl script through Web and the script shall call a system utility program which merges two binary files.

Here is part of my codes:

$src_file = "/var/[URL unfurl="true"]www/cgi-bin/abc"[/URL]
$tar_file = "/var/[URL unfurl="true"]www/cgi-bin/pqr"[/URL]
system("merge -w $tar_file $src_file");

Nothing happens although the Web is responed successfully. What I expect is the $tar_file should be created at the said location.

 

[MikeLacey]

nmlsupport,

Always seems to be a permissions or path issue with this kind of problem.

Try saving all of the output from your merge command into a file and see if merge is trying to tell you anything useful - like this.

system("merge -w $tar_file $src_file > /tmp/file.out 2>&1");

Mike

"Deliver me from the bane of civilised life; teddy bear envy."

Want to get great answers to your Tek-Tips questions? Have a look at faq219-2884

 

[geffry]

I used , "exec" instead of system; and changed the perl file permission to 4711 and it worked fine