Executing root-required script from non-root user

Question

I'm using the Apache CGI mod to allow execution of python scripts via HTTP(S) request. The problem is that the script I want to be executed, backup.py , at one point executes a subprocess call where a mysqldump command is being piped into sudo -i . The problem is that the CGI "user", www-data , doesn't have root access, and I certainly don't want to give it that in general, just for this specific task. How can I allow www-data to perform only a mysqldump command only under sudo -i ?

Answer 1

One way of elevating the permissions for a specific script, is to use the sudoers file.

Create a file containing the script you wan't to execute with root permissions, lets say at /path/to/script.sh .

Then, edit the sudoers file with sudo visudo , and add the following line:

www-data ALL = (root) NOPASSWD: /path/to/script.sh

where the the usernames and the path are set as appropriate.