Running sudo command via CGI (Python)

Question

I am writing a test suite for a web application using Selenium.

In the course of which I need to test behaviour of the app in case a certain service is running or not.

I wanted to create a cgi call to a Python script turning that service on and off.

I know that the cgi call is in the context of the webserver (Apache) however thought that issuing sudo calls like so:

import subprocess
import os
command = 'sudo -S launchctl unload /Library/LaunchAgents/com.my.daemon.plist'
pwd = 'pwd123'
test1 = subprocess.Popen( command, shell=True, stdin=subprocess.PIPE)
test1.communicate(input=pwd)
test2 = os.system( 'echo %s|%s' % (pwd,command) )

would do the trick, well they don't I get return code 256.

What can I do to have this call be executed w/o touching the context in which Apache runs?

As for security: this will only run on a test machine.

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-13 12:22:39Z

1

The user that Apache runs as needs to be in the /etc/sudoers file, or belong to the sudo group, which I guess it usually doesn't. You also need to make it not ask for a password, which is configured in /etc/sudoers

For Ubuntu, check these out: https://askubuntu.com/questions/7477/how-can-i-add-a-new-user-as-sudoer-using-the-command-line

https://askubuntu.com/questions/147241/execute-sudo-without-password

edited Apr 13, 2017 at 12:22

CommunityBot

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answered Jan 21, 2014 at 7:55

Johannes

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1 Comment

Juergen Riemer Over a year ago

Bingo, the user running apache wasn't in the sudoer group. That did the trick. Thanks a lot

some1 · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-21 07:19:24Z

1

It could potentially be a pathing issue..

Have you tried writing out the full path like this:

command = '/usr/bin/sudo -S launchctl unload /Library/LaunchAgents/com.my.daemon.plist'

answered Jan 21, 2014 at 7:19

some1

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1 Comment

Juergen Riemer Over a year ago

Thanks for the reply, the command just worked fine on command line so it wasn't that.

John Smith Optional · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-21 07:19:32Z

1

command should be a list, not a string. Try with:

command = ['sudo', '-S', 'launchctl', 'unload', '/Library/LaunchAgents/com.my.daemon.plist']

answered Jan 21, 2014 at 7:19

John Smith Optional

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1 Comment

Juergen Riemer Over a year ago

Thanks for the reply, the command just worked fine on command line so it wasn't that.

LostInTheFrequencyDomain · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-09 15:53:53Z

0

Cant run sudo this way -- sudo needs a controlling terminal to run.

answered Sep 9, 2015 at 15:53

LostInTheFrequencyDomain

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