rexd(1M) rexd(1M)
NAME [Toc] [Back]
rexd - RPC-based remote execution server
SYNOPSIS [Toc] [Back]
/usr/sbin/rpc.rexd [-l log_file] [-m mountdir] [-r]
DESCRIPTION [Toc] [Back]
rexd is the RPC server for remote command execution. A rexd is
started by inetd when a remote execution request is received (see
inetd(1M)). rexd exits when command execution has completed.
If the user ID (uid) in the remote execution request is assigned to a
user on the server, rexd executes the command as that user. If no
user on the server is assigned to the uid, rexd does not execute the
command. The -r option and inetd.sec security file allow for better
access control (see inetd.sec(4)).
For noninteractive commands, standard output and error file
descriptors are connected to sockets. Interactive commands use pseudo
terminals for standard input, output, and error (see pty(7)).
If the file system specified in the remote execution request is not
already mounted on the server, rexd uses NFS to mount the file system
for the duration of the command execution (see nfs(7)). rexd mounts
file systems with the nosuid and soft options. For more details on
mount options see mount(1M). If the server cannot mount the file
system, an error message is returned to the client. By default, any
mount points required by rexd are created below /var/spool/rexd. To
change the default location, use the -m option.
Options [Toc] [Back]
rexd recognizes the following options and command-line arguments:
-l log_file Log any diagnostic, warning, and error
messages to log_file. If log_file exists,
rexd appends messages to the file. If
log_file does not exist, rexd creates it.
Messages are not logged if the -l option is
not specified.
Information logged to the file includes date
and time of the error, host name, process ID
and name of the function generating the
error, and the error message. Note that
different RPC services can share a single log
file because enough information is included
to uniquely identify each error.
-m mountdir Create temporary mount points below directory
mountdir. By default, rexd creates temporary
mount points below /var/spool/rexd. The
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directory mountdir should have read and
execute permission for all users (mode 555).
Otherwise, rexd denies execution for users
that do not have read and execute permission.
-r Use increased security checking. When
started with the -r option, rexd denies
execution access to a client unless one of
the following conditions is met:
+ The name of the client host is in
/etc/hosts.equiv file on the server.
+ The user on the server that is
associated with the uid sent by the
client has an entry in $HOME/.rhosts
specifying the client name on a line
or the client name followed by at
least one blank and the user's name.
For example, assume a user whose
login name is mjk is assigned to uid
7 on NODE1 and executes the following
on command:
on NODE2 pwd
User mjk on NODE2 must have one of
the following entries in
$HOME/.rhosts:
NODE1 [Toc] [Back]
NODE1 mjk
DIAGNOSTICS [Toc] [Back]
The following is a subset of the messages that could appear in the log
file if the -l option is used. Some of these messages are also
returned to the client.
rexd: could not umount: dir
rexd was unable to umount() the user's current
working file system. See WARNINGS for more details.
rexd: mountdir (mountdir) is not a directory
The path name mountdir, under which temporary mount
points are created, is not a directory or does not
exist.
rexd: command: Command not found
rexd could not find command.
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rexd: command: Permission denied
rexd was denied permission to execute command.
rexd: command: Text file busy
The executable file is currently open for writing.
rexd: command: Can't execute
rexd was unable to execute command.
rexd: root execution not allowed
rexd does not allow execution as user root.
rexd: User id uid not valid
The uid uid is not assigned to a user on the server.
rexd: User id uid denied access
rexd was started with the -r option and the remote
execution request did not meet either of the
conditions required by the -r option.
rexd: host is not running a mount daemon
The host host on which the user's current working
directory is located is not running mountd.
Therefore, rexd is unable to mount the required file
system (see mountd(1M)).
rexd: not in export list for file_system
The host on which the client's current working
directory is located does not have the server on the
export list for file system file_system containing
the client's current working directory. Therefore,
rexd is unable to mount the required file system.
WARNINGS [Toc] [Back]
The client's environment is simulated by rexd, but not completely
recreated. The simulation of the client's environment consists of
mounting the file system containing the client's current working
directory (if it is not already mounted) and setting the user's
environment variables on the server to be the same as the user's
environment variables on the client. Therefore a command run by rexd
does not always have the same effect as a command run locally on the
client.
The rex protocol only identifies the client user by sending the uid of
the client process and the host name of the client. Therefore, it is
very difficult for rexd to perform user authentication. If a user on
the server is assigned to the uid sent by the client, rexd executes
the requested command as that user. If no user on the client is
assigned to the uid sent by the client, rexd returns an error.
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The -r option has been added to provide increased user authentication.
However, the authentication provided is not foolproof, and is limited
by the information passed by the rex protocol.
In order to simulate the client's environment, rexd mounts the file
system containing the client's current working directory (if it is not
already mounted). This mount is intended to be temporary for the
duration of the command.
If rexd mounts a file system, it attempts to umount() the file system
after the command has completed executing. However, if rexd receives
a SIGKILL signal (see signal(2)), the file system is not unmounted.
The file system remains mounted until the superuser executes the
appropriate umount command or the server is rebooted.
rexd's attempt to umount the file system can also fail if the file
system is busy. The file system is busy if it contains an open file
or a user's current working directory. The file system remains
mounted until the superuser executes the appropriate umount command or
the server is rebooted.
For more information on rexd security issues, see Using and
Administering NFS Services. Security issues and their consequences
should be considered before configuring rexd to run on a system.
FILES [Toc] [Back]
/dev/pty[pqr]* Master pseudo terminals.
/dev/tty[pqr]* Slave pseudo terminals.
/dev/ptym/pty[pqr]* Master pseudo terminals.
/dev/pty/tty[pqr]* Slave pseudo terminals.
/etc/inetd.conf Configuration file for
inetd(1M).
/etc/hosts.equiv List of equivalent hosts.
$HOME/.rhosts User's private equivalence
list.
/var/spool/rexd/rexdxxxxx Temporary mount points for
remote file systems where
xxxxx is a string of alpha
numeric characters.
AUTHOR [Toc] [Back]
rexd was developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.
SEE ALSO [Toc] [Back]
on(1), inetd(1M), mount(1M), exports(4), inetd.conf(4), inetd.sec(4).
Using and Administering NFS Services
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