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Apache-the-program can't see directiories apache-the-user can see

I have encountered strange behavior. When I ask the listing of the root directory under the rights of apache user, I see the different picture then I see when the same command is issued by Python and displayed on the web page.

Here is the first listing

Code:

[root@telesmi ~]# sudo -u apache ls -l /

total 150

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2009-03-03 04:11 bin

drwxr-xr-x  5 root root  1024 2008-07-24 13:34 boot

drwxr-xr-x  4 root root  4096 2009-03-03 08:59 d4m

drwxr-xr-x  12 root root  4120 2009-03-03 09:20 dev

drwxr-xr-x  97 root root 12288 2009-03-03 09:20 etc

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2009-03-03 09:02 fff

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2009-03-03 10:02 ggg

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 home

drwxr-xr-x  15 root root 12288 2009-03-02 08:00 lib

-rw-r--r--  1 root root 34834 2009-03-02 08:31 libdrutils.a

drwx------  2 root root 16384 2008-07-18 22:40 lost+found

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 media

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 mnt

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2009-03-03 02:47 opt

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2009-02-27 11:10 prj

dr-xr-xr-x 111 root root    0 2009-03-03 09:20 proc

drwxr-x---  15 root root  4096 2009-03-03 19:06 root

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 12288 2009-02-11 04:11 sbin

drwxr-xr-x  7 root root    0 2009-03-03 09:20 selinux

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 srv

drwxr-xr-x  11 root root    0 2009-03-03 09:20 sys

drwxrwxrwt  5 root root  4096 2009-03-03 10:10 tmp

drwxr-xr-x  13 root root  4096 2008-07-18 22:46 usr

drwxr-xr-x  20 root root  4096 2008-07-18 22:48 var

And here is the listing of the command ls -l / as it is seen by Python:

Code:

total 100

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 Mar  3 04:11 bin

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? boot

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? d4m

drwxr-xr-x  12 root root  4120 Mar  3 09:20 dev

drwxr-xr-x  97 root root 12288 Mar  3 09:20 etc

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? fff

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 Apr  7  2008 home

drwxr-xr-x  15 root root 12288 Mar  2 08:00 lib

-rw-r--r--  1 root root 34834 Mar  2 08:31 libdrutils.a

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? lost+found

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? media

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? mnt

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 Mar  3 02:47 opt

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? prj

dr-xr-xr-x 115 root root    0 Mar  3 09:20 proc

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? root

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 12288 Feb 11 04:11 sbin

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? selinux

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 Apr  7  2008 srv

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? sys

drwxrwxrwt  4 root root  4096 Mar  3 09:22 tmp

drwxr-xr-x  13 root root  4096 Jul 18  2008 usr

drwxr-xr-x  20 root root  4096 Jul 18  2008 var

Evidently, that it can't see even access rights, owners, modification times etc.

Why?

Also, if I ask to list some directory inside one of these strange directories, I get the following error (for example)

ls: cannot access /d4m: Permission denied

while normal lack of access usually gives the following message

ls: cannot open directory /root: Permission denied

What is the difference between "cannot access" and "cannot open directory"?

Thanks.

The read bit on a directory gives you the ability to list the contents ("cannot open" implies you don't have this ability). The execute bit on a directory gives you the ability to access the directory ("cannot access" implies you don't have this ability).

Thanks.

And what can prevent Apache to view access rights?

I don't know why you're getting (apparently) unexpected results from within your Python code.

Does it happen only with / or with other directories (/usr, for example) too?

This happens for some directories. Below is listing for ls -l /usr

Code:

total 112

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 36864 Mar  3 04:11 bin

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 Apr  7  2008 etc

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 Apr  7  2008 games

drwxr-xr-x  32 root root  4096 Mar  2 08:15 include

drwxr-xr-x  6 root root  4096 Jul 18  2008 kerberos

drwxr-xr-x  87 root root 36864 Mar  3 04:11 lib

drwxr-xr-x  8 root root  4096 Mar  2 08:00 libexec

drwxr-xr-x  15 root root  4096 Mar  2 08:19 local

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 12288 Mar  2 08:56 sbin

drwxr-xr-x 116 root root  4096 Mar  2 07:59 share

d?????????  ? ?    ?        ?            ? src

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root    10 Jul 18  2008 tmp -> ../var/tmp

Here we see, that every directory is normal except src.

While src has no apparent differences from the POV of the command line:

Code:

[root@telesmi /]# sudo -u apache ls -l /usr

total 116

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 36864 2009-03-03 04:11 bin

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 etc

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 games

drwxr-xr-x  32 root root  4096 2009-03-02 08:15 include

drwxr-xr-x  6 root root  4096 2008-07-18 22:46 kerberos

drwxr-xr-x  87 root root 36864 2009-03-03 04:11 lib

drwxr-xr-x  8 root root  4096 2009-03-02 08:00 libexec

drwxr-xr-x  15 root root  4096 2009-03-02 08:19 local

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root 12288 2009-03-02 08:56 sbin

drwxr-xr-x 116 root root  4096 2009-03-02 07:59 share

drwxr-xr-x  2 root root  4096 2008-04-07 17:44 src

lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root    10 2008-07-18 22:45 tmp -> ../var/tmp

May be this can related with some restrictions, applied to Apache only? May be some nutshell or FUSE somehow used? I am a newbie hence not sure these are correct suggestions...

I found resolution. This was because of selinux security for httpd.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dims (Post 3464981)

I found resolution. This was because of selinux security for httpd.

That's awesome! I'm glad you worked it out. I had actually suspected SELinux but I didn't want to say anything since it was only a hunch and I have zero SELinux experience. What exactly did you change in order to fix it? Hopefully you didn't disable it entirely!

Quote:

Originally Posted by win32sux (Post 3464985)

What exactly did you change in order to fix it? Hopefully you didn't disable it entirely!

Sorry, I am not remember now what I did exactly, but most probably I have disabled it :) I think I was fail to find a way to setup correct behavior for httpd, but I was trying honestly :)