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
numbers. The rresvport() function returns a descriptor to a socket with an address in the privileged port space. The iruserok() and
ruserok() functions 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 command (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
several 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 directory 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 success. It returns -1 on error with the global value errno set accord-
ing 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