You are viewing a plain text version of this content. The canonical link for it is here.
Posted to apache-bugdb@apache.org by "M.D.Parker" <md...@netcom.com> on 1997/12/10 19:21:11 UTC

suexec/1543: suexec.c -- Does not report exec failure reasons

>Number:         1543
>Category:       suexec
>Synopsis:       suexec.c -- Does not report exec failure reasons
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    apache
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   apache
>Arrival-Date:   Wed Dec 10 10:30:01 PST 1997
>Last-Modified:
>Originator:     mdpc@netcom.com
>Organization:
apache
>Release:        1.3
>Environment:
UNIX based -- various vendors
>Description:
This is an issue that I discovered in analysis of the "unable to exec" message
from suexec for a file did not have permission bits set appropriately.  User
error, but hard to easily spot from the simple catchall error message.  The
specific scenario follows:

If you are running apache 1.3 without using the suexec wrapper, there is a 
check in mod_cgi.c to verify if the requested file is executable.  If not, an
entry is made in the error log with an appropriate statement.  This test is 
explicitly bypassed in mod_cgi.c and with GOOD reason.

However, in suexec.c a problem in the executable bits setting can only be
determined after an exec error.  Also, I understand why this is.  However, only
the exec failure is reported without any reason.  I suggest changing this so that
the error code (errno) is at least output with the exec error message so that
server administrator has some hope of attempting to correct the problem
easily.
>How-To-Repeat:
easily....
>Fix:
the suggested fix is in the description but no code.  Sorry :-%2
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:
[In order for any reply to be added to the PR database, ]
[you need to include <ap...@Apache.Org> in the Cc line ]
[and leave the subject line UNCHANGED.  This is not done]
[automatically because of the potential for mail loops. ]