Re: VI wrapper for SUDO?
William R Ward <bill@wards.net> writes:
> Is there any kind of wrapper that can be used to allow sudo to grant
> editing access to only one file? I am thinking of something similar
> to vipw or visudo, but with security in mind; following this basic
> algorithm:
>
> 1. Using user privileges, Copy the desired file to a temp file owned
> by the real user.
> 2. Using user privileges, Edit the temp file.
> 3. Using root privileges, copy the temp file to the final location.
People have mentioned that nvi and vim have "secure modes" but there
is still the risk of running a program that really wasn't designed
with modern security issues in mind.
Also, for people who don't like to use vi, or who prefer a different
version of vi than the one that has the best "secure mode", it
wouldn't work. It would be better if it was /etc/alternatives/editor
rather than nvi or vim. This *is* Debian we're talking about :-)
Since the editing can be done with normal user privileges (assuming
the source file is readable, and even that can be got around), any
editor could be used.
Trouble is, that doesn't work with sudo. What I think is needed is a
new program that is "sudo-aware" (probably linked with many of sudo's
object files), uses /etc/sudoers for permission, etc. but uses $EDITOR
or /etc/alternatives or whatever to choose the actual program for
editing. Even emacsclient/gnuclient could do the trick.
The only part where root privs are needed is *installing* the edited
file. It'd be best to limit the root privs to where they are actually
needed.
--Bill.
--
William R Ward bill@wards.net http://www.wards.net/~bill/
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