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# Content
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129 .\" ========================================================================
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131 .IX Title "libptytty 3"
132 .TH libptytty 3 "2006-08-30" "" "LIBPTYTTY"
133 .SH "NAME"
134 libptytty \- OS independent and secure pty/tty and utmp/wtmp/lastlog handling
135 .SH "SYNOPSIS"
136 .IX Header "SYNOPSIS"
137 .Vb 1
138 \& cc ... -lptytty
139 .Ve
140 .PP
141 .Vb 1
142 \& #include <libptytty.h>
143 .Ve
144 .PP
145 .Vb 2
146 \& // C++
147 \& ptytty *pty = ptytty::create ();
148 .Ve
149 .PP
150 .Vb 2
151 \& if (!pty->get ())
152 \& // error allocating pty
153 .Ve
154 .PP
155 .Vb 4
156 \& if (we want utmp)
157 \& pty->login (process_pid, 0, "remote.host");
158 \& else if (we want utmp AND wtmp/lastlog)
159 \& pty->login (process_pid, 1, "remote.host");
160 .Ve
161 .PP
162 .Vb 2
163 \& // we are done with it
164 \& delete pty;
165 .Ve
166 .PP
167 .Vb 2
168 \& // C
169 \& PTYTTY pty = ptytty_create ();
170 .Ve
171 .PP
172 .Vb 2
173 \& if (!ptytty_get (pty))
174 \& // error allocating pty
175 .Ve
176 .PP
177 .Vb 4
178 \& if (we want utmp)
179 \& ptytty_login (pty, process_pid, 0, "remote.host");
180 \& else if (we want utmp AND wtmp/lastlog)
181 \& ptytty_login (pty, process_pid, 1, "remote.host");
182 .Ve
183 .PP
184 .Vb 2
185 \& // we are done with it
186 \& ptytty_delete (pty);
187 .Ve
188 .PP
189 See also the \fIeg/\fR directory, which currently contains the \fIc\-sample.c\fR
190 file that spawns a loginshell from C using libptytty.
191 .SH "DESCRIPTION"
192 .IX Header "DESCRIPTION"
193 Libptytty is a small library that offers pseudo-tty management in an
194 OS-independent way. It was created out of frustration over the many
195 differences of pty/tty handling in different operating systems for the use
196 inside \f(CW\*(C`rxvt\-unicode\*(C'\fR.
197 .PP
198 In addition to offering mere pty/tty management, it also offers session
199 database support (utmp and optional wtmp/lastlog updates for login
200 shells).
201 .PP
202 It also supports fork'ing after startup and dropping privileges in the
203 calling process, so in case the calling process gets compromised by the
204 user starting the program there is less to gain, as only the helper
205 process runs with privileges (e.g. setuid/setgid), which reduces the area
206 of attack immensely.
207 .PP
208 Libptytty is written in \*(C+, but it also offers a C\-only \s-1API\s0.
209 .SH "SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS"
210 .IX Header "SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS"
211 \&\fI\f(BIIt is of paramount importance that you at least read the following
212 paragraph!\fI\fR
213 .PP
214 If you are a typical terminal-like program that just wants one or more
215 ptys, you should call the \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::init ()\*(C'\fR method (C: \f(CW\*(C`ptytty_init ()\*(C'\fR
216 function) as the very first thing in your program:
217 .PP
218 .Vb 5
219 \& int main (int argc, char *argv[])
220 \& {
221 \& // do nothing here
222 \& ptytty::init ();
223 \& // in C: ptytty_init ();
224 .Ve
225 .PP
226 .Vb 2
227 \& // initialise, parse arguments, etc.
228 \& }
229 .Ve
230 .PP
231 This checks wether the program runs setuid or setgid. If yes then it will
232 fork a helper process and drop privileges.
233 .PP
234 Some programs need finer control over if and when this helper process
235 is started, and if and how to drop privileges. For those programs, the
236 methods \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::use_helper\*(C'\fR and \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::drop_privileges\*(C'\fR are more
237 useful.
238 .SH "\*(C+ INTERFACE: THE ptytty CLASS"
239 .IX Header " INTERFACE: THE ptytty CLASS"
240 .Sh "\s-1STATIC\s0 \s-1METHODS\s0"
241 .IX Subsection "STATIC METHODS"
242 .IP "ptytty::init ()" 4
243 .IX Item "ptytty::init ()"
244 The default way to initialise libptytty. Must be called imemdiately as
245 the first thing in the \f(CW\*(C`main\*(C'\fR function, or earlier e.g. during static
246 construction time. The earlier, the better.
247 .Sp
248 This method checks wether the program runs with setuid/setgid permissions
249 and, if yes, spawns a helper process for pty/tty management. It then
250 drops the privileges completely, so the actual program runs without
251 setuid/setgid privileges.
252 .IP "ptytty::use_helper ()" 4
253 .IX Item "ptytty::use_helper ()"
254 Tries to start a helper process that retains privileges even when the
255 calling process does not. This is usually called from \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::init\*(C'\fR when
256 it detects that the program is running setuid or setgid, but can be called
257 manually if it is inconvinient to drop privileges at startup, or when
258 you are not running setuid/setgid but want to drop privileges (e.g. when
259 running as a root-started daemon).
260 .Sp
261 This method will try not to start more than one helper process. The same
262 helper process can usually be used both from the process starting it and
263 all its fork'ed (not exec'ed) children.
264 .IP "ptytty::drop_privileges ()" 4
265 .IX Item "ptytty::drop_privileges ()"
266 Drops privileges completely, i.e. sets real, effective and saved user id
267 to the real user id. Also aborts if this cannot be achieved. Useful to
268 make sure that the process doesn't run with special privileges.
269 .IP "bool success = ptytty::send_fd (int socket, int fd)" 4
270 .IX Item "bool success = ptytty::send_fd (int socket, int fd)"
271 Utility method to send a file descriptor over a unix domain
272 socket. Returns true if successful, false otherwise. This method is only
273 exposed for your convinience and is not required for normal operation.
274 .IP "int fd = ptytty::recv_fd (int socket)" 4
275 .IX Item "int fd = ptytty::recv_fd (int socket)"
276 Utility method to receive a file descriptor over a unix domain
277 socket. Returns the fd if sucecssful and \f(CW\*(C`\-1\*(C'\fR otherwise. This method
278 is only exposed for your convinience and is not required for normal
279 operation.
280 .IP "ptytty *pty = ptytty::create ()" 4
281 .IX Item "ptytty *pty = ptytty::create ()"
282 Creates new ptytty object. Creation does not yet do anything besides
283 allocating the structure.
284 .Sp
285 A static method is used because the actual ptytty implementation can
286 differ at runtime, so you need a dynamic object creation facility.
287 .Sh "\s-1DYNAMIC/SESSION\-RELATED\s0 \s-1DATA\s0 \s-1MEMBERS\s0 \s-1AND\s0 \s-1METHODS\s0"
288 .IX Subsection "DYNAMIC/SESSION-RELATED DATA MEMBERS AND METHODS"
289 .IP "int pty_fd = pty\->pty" 4
290 .IX Item "int pty_fd = pty->pty"
291 .PD 0
292 .IP "int tty_fd = pty\->tty" 4
293 .IX Item "int tty_fd = pty->tty"
294 .PD
295 These members contain the pty and tty file descriptors, respectively. They
296 initially contain \f(CW\*(C`\-1\*(C'\fR until a successful to \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::get\*(C'\fR.
297 .IP "bool success = pty\->get ()" 4
298 .IX Item "bool success = pty->get ()"
299 Tries to find, allocate and initialise a new pty/tty pair. Returns \f(CW\*(C`true\*(C'\fR
300 when successful.
301 .IP "pty\->login (int cmd_pid, bool login_shell, const char *hostname)" 4
302 .IX Item "pty->login (int cmd_pid, bool login_shell, const char *hostname)"
303 Creates an entry in the systems session database(s) (utmp, wtmp, lastlog).
304 \&\f(CW\*(C`cmd_pid\*(C'\fR must be the pid of the process representing the session
305 (such as the login shell), \f(CW\*(C`login_shell\*(C'\fR defines wether the session is
306 associated with a login, which influences wether wtmp and lastlog entries
307 are created, and \f(CW\*(C`hostname\*(C'\fR should identify the \*(L"hostname\*(R" the user logs
308 in from, which often is the value of the \f(CW\*(C`DISPLAY\*(C'\fR variable or tty line
309 in case of local logins.
310 .Sp
311 Calling this method is optional. A session starts at the time of the login
312 call and extends until the ptytty object is destroyed.
313 .IP "pty\->close_tty ()" 4
314 .IX Item "pty->close_tty ()"
315 Closes the tty. Useful after forking in the parent/pty process.
316 .IP "bool success = pty\->make_controlling_tty ()" 4
317 .IX Item "bool success = pty->make_controlling_tty ()"
318 Tries to make the pty/tty pair the controlling terminal of the current
319 process. Useful after forking in the child/tty process.
320 .IP "pty\->set_utf8_mode (bool on)" 4
321 .IX Item "pty->set_utf8_mode (bool on)"
322 On systems supporting special \s-1UTF\-8\s0 line disciplines (e.g. Linux), this
323 tries to enable this discipline for the given pty. Can be called at any
324 time to change the mode.
325 .SH "C INTERFACE: THE ptytty FAMILY OF FUNCTIONS"
326 .IX Header "C INTERFACE: THE ptytty FAMILY OF FUNCTIONS"
327 .IP "ptytty_init ()" 4
328 .IX Item "ptytty_init ()"
329 See \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::init ()\*(C'\fR.
330 .IP "\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty_create ()" 4
331 .IX Item "PTYTTY ptytty_create ()"
332 Creates a new opaque \s-1PTYTTY\s0 object and returns it. Do not try to access it
333 in any way except by testing it for truthness (e.g. \f(CW\*(C`if (pty) ....\*(C'\fR). See
334 \&\f(CW\*(C`ptytty::create ()\*(C'\fR.
335 .IP "int ptytty_pty (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty)" 4
336 .IX Item "int ptytty_pty (PTYTTY ptytty)"
337 Return the pty file descriptor. See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->pty\*(C'\fR.
338 .IP "int ptytty_tty (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty)" 4
339 .IX Item "int ptytty_tty (PTYTTY ptytty)"
340 Return the tty file descriptor. See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->tty\*(C'\fR.
341 .IP "void ptytty_delete (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty)" 4
342 .IX Item "void ptytty_delete (PTYTTY ptytty)"
343 Destroys the \s-1PTYTTY\s0 object, freeing the pty/tty pair and cleaning up the
344 utmp/wtmp/lastlog databases, if initialised/used. Same as \f(CW\*(C`delete pty\*(C'\fR in
345 \&\*(C+.
346 .IP "int ptytty_get (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty)" 4
347 .IX Item "int ptytty_get (PTYTTY ptytty)"
348 See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->get\*(C'\fR, returns 0 in case of an error, non-zero otherwise.
349 .IP "void ptytty_login (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty, int cmd_pid, bool login_shell, const char *hostname)" 4
350 .IX Item "void ptytty_login (PTYTTY ptytty, int cmd_pid, bool login_shell, const char *hostname)"
351 See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->login\*(C'\fR.
352 .IP "void ptytty_close_tty (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty)" 4
353 .IX Item "void ptytty_close_tty (PTYTTY ptytty)"
354 See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->close_tty\*(C'\fR.
355 .IP "int ptytty_make_controlling_tty (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty)" 4
356 .IX Item "int ptytty_make_controlling_tty (PTYTTY ptytty)"
357 See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->make_controlling_tty\*(C'\fR.
358 .IP "void ptytty_set_utf8_mode (\s-1PTYTTY\s0 ptytty, int on)" 4
359 .IX Item "void ptytty_set_utf8_mode (PTYTTY ptytty, int on)"
360 See \f(CW\*(C`pty\->set_utf8_mode\*(C'\fR.
361 .IP "void ptytty_drop_privileges ()" 4
362 .IX Item "void ptytty_drop_privileges ()"
363 See \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::drop_privileges\*(C'\fR.
364 .IP "void ptytty_use_helper ()" 4
365 .IX Item "void ptytty_use_helper ()"
366 See \f(CW\*(C`ptytty::use_helper\*(C'\fR.
367 .SH "BUGS"
368 .IX Header "BUGS"
369 You kiddin'?
370 .SH "AUTHORS"
371 .IX Header "AUTHORS"
372 Emanuele Giaquinta <e.giaquinta@glauco.it>, Marc Alexander Lehmann
373 <rxvt\-unicode@schmorp.de>.