How to Execute Root Commands Securely from PHP Applications?

Execute Root Commands Seamlessly via PHP

Execute root commands securely is a common requirement in web-based applications. In this article, we'll delve into a solution that allows you to execute root commands with restricted user access, enhancing security while meeting functional requirements.

Initially, the approach was to grant the Apache user root privileges. However, this poses serious security risks and is strongly discouraged. Instead, we'll employ a more secure alternative.

Our solution revolves around creating a binary wrapper that will execute our desired commands as root. Here's a step-by-step guide to set this up:

1. Create a Script with Root Commands:

   Craft a script that contains the root commands you need to execute. For instance, to restart the SSHD service, create a script named php_shell.sh with the following content:

   #!/bin/sh
   /sbin/service sshd restart

2. Secure Script Permissions:

   Set the owner of php_shell.sh to root and grant write permissions only to the root user:

   chown root php_shell.sh
   chmod u=rwx,go=xr php_shell.sh

3. Create a Binary Wrapper:

   This binary will execute our php_shell.sh with root privileges. Create a wrapper.c file with the following code:

   #include <stdlib.h>
   #include <sys>
   #include <unistd.h>
   
   int main (int argc, char *argv[])
   {
      setuid (0);
      system ("/bin/sh /path/to/php_shell.sh");
      return 0;
   }</unistd.h></sys></stdlib.h>

4. Compile and Set Permissions:

   Compile the wrapper.c file and set the correct permissions, including the suid bit:

   gcc wrapper.c -o php_root
   chown root php_root
   chmod u=rwx,go=xr,+s php_root

By following these steps, you'll have a binary wrapper (php_root) that can execute root commands as specified in php_shell.sh. This provides a secure way to execute root commands from your PHP applications without compromising system security.

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