executing linux commands from web page and outputing it back to the web page

ashes_sheldon · 05-08-2009, 12:42 AM

hi fellas
I wanted to know if i can execute commands on linux console through a web page and redirect it back to my web page !

For example :
if i send a query "ls"
it should execute this command on my linux console and also redirect the list of the files to the web page from which i give the command !

please help me out ..

regards,
ashes_sheldon

gnashley · 05-08-2009, 01:26 AM

You can use cgi script to have the output written to the web page, but I don't think you can easily make it output to the console -the webpage has no way of knowing which console or terminal you are on.

ashes_sheldon · 05-08-2009, 01:34 AM

thnks ..
but does the cgi script queries execute commands given from web page in console ?

i can easily redirect the console o/p by

command >> test.html
but how do i format my contents .. the display is in single line

ashes_sheldon · 05-08-2009, 01:37 AM

plz tell me how do i do the cgi thing .

gnashley · 05-08-2009, 03:39 AM

Here's a small example which shows the output of two commands and refreshes itself.

Code:

#!/bin/bash --
echo -en "Content-type: text/html\n\n<META HTTP-EQUIV="REFRESH" CONTENT="10\;URL=http://localhost/httpd/html/bash-cgi/combo.cgi">\n"
echo "<html><head><title>OS Version</title></head><body><H1>"; /usr/bin/uname -r
echo "</H1>"
echo "<hl>"
echo "<H2>"; /usr/bin/date
echo "</H2>"
echo "</body></html>"

It's important to note that the commands will be executed by the httpd server you are running, so they will run with the same username and group as the server itself. You have to be careful about what commands you let be run...
You can use it by placing it in your cgi-bin dir and making it executable, or you can change the name of it and open it directly in your browser.

theNbomr · 05-08-2009, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashes_sheldon

hi fellas
I wanted to know if i can execute commands on linux console through a web page and redirect it back to my web page !

For example :
if i send a query "ls"
it should execute this command on my linux console and also redirect the list of the files to the web page from which i give the command !

please help me out ..

regards,
ashes_sheldon

What you are suggesting is probably the worst possible security hole imaginable. What happens when the command that gets issued is

Code:

rm -rf /

There is probably a list of blackhats trying to figure out how to access your server right now.
--- rod.

j0hnsmith · 05-08-2009, 01:04 PM

If you want to run a specific command to output to the page each time it's called you can use SSI, see http://httpd.apache.org/docs/1.3/how...cutingcommands

This doesn't let the user of the page choose the command to enter.

Hko · 05-09-2009, 01:33 AM

Here an existing php program that implements an entire web-terminal: PHP Shell Terminal.

Sergei Steshenko · 05-09-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theNbomr

What you are suggesting is probably the worst possible security hole imaginable. What happens when the command that gets issued is

Code:

rm -rf /

There is probably a list of blackhats trying to figure out how to access your server right now.
--- rod.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroot