Perl script: different results form command line and CGI

Question

Warning: I'm perl and CGI beginner so this can be stupid question.

I write a really simple perl script which should get info about open files and running processes on system. There is something like this function for processes:

sub num_processes() {
    my @lines = `/bin/ps -ef`;
    return scalar @lines;
}

If I run it from bash, it returns all running processes on system but when I run it via apache and CGI it retruns only 2 processes (running script and running 'ps -ef'). This CGI script runs under user with shell (/bin/bash) enabled. Is there any posibility how to get all the processes via apache and CGI?

so num_processes returns size of @lines array?

mpapec
– mpapec

2013-07-27 19:46:10 +00:00
Commented Jul 27, 2013 at 19:46 — mpapec
– mpapec, Commented Jul 27, 2013 at 19:46

Alex Reynolds · Accepted Answer · 2013-07-27 11:14:21Z

1

Your CGI script will run as the Apache user account. Your shell call will run as your user account. This is probably why you get two different answers. Take a look at something like suEXEC to manage the user under which CGI scripts are run.

answered Jul 27, 2013 at 11:14

Alex Reynolds

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2 Comments

stderr Over a year ago

Thanks for reaction but I forgot to add info, that the user who runs scipt is different from apache one (thanks to suexec) and has a shell enabled.

Alex Reynolds Over a year ago

Two different users will see different process lists, so you are probably running into expected behavior.

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