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Defining SUDO Records (Task Delegation)

A record in the SUDO class stores a command script so that users can run the script with borrowed permissions. The ability to borrow permissions is tightly controlled by the SUDO record, as well as by the sesudo command that executes the scripts.

Note: If you create a SUDO record for an interactive Windows application, you must set the interactive flag for the SUDO record. If you do not set the interactive flag, the application runs in the background and you cannot interact with it. For more information, see the Troubleshooting Guide.

In a SUDO record, the comment property is used for a special purpose, and often it is known by its alternate name: the data property.

The comment property's value is the command script, with the optional addition of one or more script parameter values that are to be prohibited or permitted. The entire comment property value must be enclosed in single quotes, and executables should be referenced by their complete path names in order to prevent Trojan horses from taking their place.

This is the format for the comment property:

comment('cmd[;[prohibitedvalues][;permittedvalues]]')

Because the lists of prohibited and permitted values are optional, a simple comment property value can be the following:

newres SUDO NET comment('net use')

The simple value in the command means that the command sesudo NET will execute the command 'net use'. No particular script parameter values are prohibited; all are permitted.

Wildcards and powerful variables give you flexibility in specifying prohibited and permitted parameters. The wildcards you can use are the standard Windows wildcards. Prohibited and permitted parameters can also contain the following variables:

Variable

Description

$A

An alpha value

$G

An exiting CA ControlMinder group name

$H

(UNIX only) A parameter that starts with the user's home directory

$N

A numeric value

$O

The CA ControlMinder name of the user running sesudo

$U

An existing CA ControlMinder user name

$e

An empty entry.

Use this to specify a SUDO command with no parameters for the rule.

$f

An existing file name

$g

An existing Windows group name

$h

An existing host name

$r

An existing file with Windows read access

$u

An existing Windows user name

$w

An existing file with Windows write access

$x

An existing file with Windows execute access

If you append a list of prohibited parameter values to the script:

If you append a list of permitted parameter values to the script,

Thus, the overall format for the comment property is this: first the script; then the prohibited values, parameter by parameter; then the permitted values, parameter by parameter:

comment('cmd; \
param1_prohib1 param1_prohib2 ... param1_prohibN | \
param2_prohib1 param2_prohib2 ... param2_prohibN | \
 ...
paramN_prohib1 paramN_prohib2 ... paramN_prohibN ; \
param1_permit1 param1_permit2 ... param1_permitN | \
param2_permit1 param2_permit2 ... param2_permitN |
 ...
paramN_permit1 paramN_permit2 ... paramN_permitN')

The sesudo utility checks each parameter entered by the user in the following manner:

  1. Test if parameter N matches permitted parameter N. (If permitted parameter N does not exist, the last permitted parameter is used.)
  2. Test if parameter N matches prohibited parameter N. (If prohibited parameter N does not exist, the last prohibited parameter is used.)

If all the parameters match permitted parameters, and none match prohibited parameters, sesudo executes the command.

Example: Set Up Task Delegation that Permits a User to Run net send

The following procedure shows you how you let user Takashi execute the net send command and prevent him from executing the net start command:

  1. In CA ControlMinder Endpoint Management click the Users tab, then click the Authorization and Delegation subtab.

    The Authorization and Delegation menu options appear on the left.

  2. Click Task Delegations.

    The Task Delegations page appears.

  3. Click Create Task.

    The Create Task page appears.

  4. Complete the dialog fields as follows:

Field

Value

Name

NET

Data

net;start;send *

Owner

nobody

Default Access

None (option cleared)

Authorized Accessors

USER: Takashi

Allow: Execute

  1. Click Save.

    The new task delegation (SUDO) record is created.

  2. Test the task delegation rule:
    1. Log in as Takashi.
    2. Open the command prompt and execute the following:
      	sesudo -do NET start
      

      The following message appears:

      	sesudo: you are not allowed to use 'start' as parameter number 1.
      

      Note: net start will not execute because it was defined as a prohibited value.

    3. Execute the following value:
      	sesudo -do NET send comp message
      

      The command should execute.

Example: Authorize a User to Execute Privileged Operations using an Interactive Application

A user can perform highly privileged operations using any snap-in MSC module, as the following example shows:

  1. In CA ControlMinder Endpoint Management click the Users tab, then click the Authorization and Delegation subtab.

    The Authorization and Delegation menu options appear on the left.

  2. Click Task Delegations.

    The Task Delegations page appears.

  3. Click Create Task.

    The Create Task page appears.

  4. Complete the dialog fields as follows:

Field

Value

Name

services

Data

c:\winnt\system32\mmc.exe

Owner

nobody

Options

Interactive (option selected)

Default Access

None (option cleared)

Authorized Accessors

USER: Tori

Allow: Execute

  1. Click Save.

    The new task delegation (SUDO) record is created. The Interactive option provides the desktop user interface that can be used by whoever is logged in when the service is started. This is available only if the service is running as a LocalSystem account.

  2. Test the task delegation rule:
    1. Log in as Tori.
    2. Open the command prompt and execute the following:
      	sesudo -do services
      
    3. mmc.exe will start.

More information:

Task Delegation Hangs for Interactive Application