python run program which requires password from user

Question

I am writing an automation script with Python in Linux. It calls another process which requires the user to enter a password.

I have implemented it using pexpect where I just spawn the command and then do an interact.

Is there an alternative method? I cannot use pexpect as I need to run a script on a machine which does not have pexpect installed.

ivan_pozdeev · Accepted Answer · 2015-06-17 13:26:30Z

1

I've seen code that does this with ssh by using things like popen/subprocess and standard streams.

But this is a very bad practice (requires to keep the password in clear text in a relatively easily-accessible place and doesn't allow to change it easily).

In fact, the code I mentioned caused a problem at my previous occupation: I installed a client key on the server, and the script didn't any longer see the password prompt when it expected to!

So I do recommend to run the program in such a way (options, configuration files, sudo etc.) that entering a password manually is not needed.

edited Jun 17, 2015 at 13:26

answered Apr 23, 2015 at 23:54

ivan_pozdeev

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