Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ispi!jbayer
From: jbayer@ispi.UUCP (Jonathan Bayer)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions
Subject: Re: Running processes as root
Message-ID: <1193@ispi.UUCP>
Date: 21 Oct 89 12:58:05 GMT
References: <1989Oct19.182027.11171@newcastle.ac.uk>
Distribution: comp
Organization: Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
Lines: 24

aidan%ncl.shire@newcastle.ac.uk (Aidan Saunders) writes:


>I have a script which needs to run as root and can be used by one group of 
>users.  I thought this was straightforward but it doesn't work...

>The program prog1 is a shell script owned by root in group staff and of 
>mode 4750



The set-uid bit does not work for shell scripts.  You will have to write 
a small program (or grab one from the archives) that will then execute
the shell script.  The program will be able to use the set-uid bit, and
the script that is run then will run as root.  This is generally not
a good idea.



JB
-- 
Jonathan Bayer		Intelligent Software Products, Inc.
(201) 245-5922		500 Oakwood Ave.
jbayer@ispi.COM		Roselle Park, NJ   07204