PHP execute linux command using exec()

Question

So, i'm on my ubuntu server and want to execute the following command:

su -c /path/to/command -s /bin/bash -l otheruser

When i type this command in the linux command line, it perfectly asks for the password for the otheruser and executes the command.

However, when i do it like this

exec("su -c /path/to/command -s /bin/bash -l otheruser");

it doesn't do anything. I haven't of course specified a password for it yet, but it doesn't really return anything that could help me solve this problem. I have set the permissions to that command to 777 for testing purposes.

Any suggestions?

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 20:42:18Z

5

Try this:

<?php

$ret = exec("su -c /path/to/command -s /bin/bash -l otheruser", $out, $err);

var_dump($ret);
var_dump($out);
var_dump($err);

?>

More Info: https://www.php.net/manual/en/function.exec.php

Also, if you are expecting the exec command to ask you for the password for the other user (as it did in the linux command line) - it won't work, exec command isn't interactive. You'll need to pass the password on the command, inline.

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 20:42

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Nov 7, 2013 at 11:22

Latheesan

24.1k34 gold badges113 silver badges212 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

2 Comments

Beeelze Over a year ago

It returns the following: string(0) "" array(0) { } int(1)

Beeelze Over a year ago

that did the trick actually! However, I think that it is not very secure, passing the user's password in a php script?

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PHP execute linux command using exec()

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related