How to Securely Run Python Scripts Requiring Elevated Privileges Without Hardcoding Passwords?

Using sudo with Python Script: Secure Alternatives to Hardcoding Passwords

You are attempting to create a Python script that mounts a VirtualBox shared folder upon execution. However, this requires elevated privileges, leading you to explore options such as running the script as sudo or using sudo within the script.

While providing your password in a .py file is certainly not recommended, it may be acceptable for a low-critical virtual machine. However, your proposed solution raises concerns:

#!/usr/bin/env python
import subprocess

sudoPassword = 'mypass'
command = 'mount -t vboxsf myfolder /home/myuser/myfolder'

subprocess.Popen('sudo -S' , shell=True,stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
subprocess.Popen(sudoPassword , shell=True,stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
subprocess.Popen(command , shell=True,stdout=subprocess.PIPE)

This approach is strongly discouraged. Hardcoding passwords is considered a poor security practice, leaving your system vulnerable to unauthorized access.

Alternatives to Hardcoding Passwords

Fortunately, there are more secure alternatives available:

• Using /etc/fstab: As suggested by mensi, you can configure /etc/fstab to allow regular users to mount the volume without requiring sudo.
• Using Polkit: Polkit provides a mechanism for passwordless actions. You can create a .policy file that grants permission to your script without requiring a password.
• Modifying /etc/sudoers: By editing /etc/sudoers, you can grant your user limited sudo privileges that only apply to specific commands. This restricts passwordless execution to your intended script.

These alternatives allow you to achieve your objective without compromising the security of your system. Further reading on these topics can provide more in-depth information.

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