rcmd
RCMD(3) BSD Library Functions Manual RCMD(3)
NAME
rcmd, rresvport, iruserok, ruserok - routines for returning a stream to a
remote command
SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>
int
rcmd(char **ahost, int inport, const char *locuser, const char *remuser,
const char *cmd, int *fd2p);
int
rresvport(int *port);
int
iruserok(u_int32_t raddr, int superuser, const char *ruser,
const char *luser);
int
ruserok(const char *rhost, int superuser, const char *ruser,
const char *luser);
DESCRIPTION
The rcmd() function is used by the super-user to execute a command on a
remote machine using an authentication scheme based on reserved port num-
bers. The rresvport() function returns a descriptor to a socket with an
address in the privileged port space. The iruserok() and ruserok() func-
tions are used by servers to authenticate clients requesting service with
rcmd(). All four functions are present in the same file and are used by
the rshd(8) server (among others).
The rcmd() function looks up the host *ahost using gethostbyname(3),
returning -1 if the host does not exist. Otherwise *ahost is set to the
standard name of the host and a connection is established to a server
residing at the well-known Internet port inport.
If the connection succeeds, a socket in the Internet domain of type
SOCK_STREAM is returned to the caller, and given to the remote command as
stdin and stdout. If fd2p is non-zero, then an auxiliary channel to a
control process will be set up, and a descriptor for it will be placed in
*fd2p. The control process will return diagnostic output from the com-
mand (unit 2) on this channel, and will also accept bytes on this channel
as being UNIX signal numbers, to be forwarded to the process group of the
command. If fd2p is 0, then the stderr (unit 2 of the remote command)
will be made the same as the stdout and no provision is made for sending
arbitrary signals to the remote process, although you may be able to get
its attention by using out-of-band data.
The protocol is described in detail in rshd(8).
The rresvport() function is used to obtain a socket with a privileged
address bound to it. This socket is suitable for use by rcmd() and sev-
eral other functions. Privileged Internet ports are those in the range 0
to 1023. Only the super-user is allowed to bind an address of this sort
to a socket.
The iruserok() and ruserok() functions take a remote host's IP address or
name, respectively, two user names and a flag indicating whether the
local user's name is that of the super-user. Then, if the user is NOT
the super-user, it checks the /etc/hosts.equiv file. If that lookup is
not done, or is unsuccessful, the .rhosts in the local user's home direc-
tory is checked to see if the request for service is allowed.
If this file does not exist, is not a regular file, is owned by anyone
other than the user or the super-user, or is writeable by anyone other
than the owner, the check automatically fails. Zero is returned if the
machine name is listed in the ``hosts.equiv'' file, or the host and
remote user name are found in the ``.rhosts'' file; otherwise iruserok()
and ruserok() return -1. If the local domain (as obtained from
gethostname(2)) is the same as the remote domain, only the machine name
need be specified.
If the IP address of the remote host is known, iruserok() should be used
in preference to ruserok(), as it does not require trusting the DNS
server for the remote host's domain.
DIAGNOSTICS
The rcmd() function returns a valid socket descriptor on success. It
returns -1 on error and prints a diagnostic message on the standard
error.
The rresvport() function returns a valid, bound socket descriptor on suc-
cess. It returns -1 on error with the global value errno set according
to the reason for failure. The error code EAGAIN is overloaded to mean
``All network ports in use.''
SEE ALSO
rlogin(1), rsh(1), intro(2), rexec(3), rexecd(8), rlogind(8), rshd(8)
HISTORY
These functions appeared in 4.2BSD.
4.2 Berkeley Distribution June 4, 1993 4.2 Berkeley Distribution
