accessing files via python using a service account

Question

I am playing with windows server 2012 r2. I have some files on the server. I have a separate service account which has the read access to the files. What i want to do is using python access the files by network share(any other suggestions welcomed) but only through the service account.

PS: i cannot use RDP.

Answer 1

The underlying WINAPIs for this task are part of [MS.Docs]: WNetAddConnection2W function family.

The [GitHub]: mhammond/pywin32 - Python for Windows (pywin32) Extensions wrapper is [ActiveState]: Module win32wnet (it's not the official doc (I couldn't find any at this point) - I don't know for how long the URL will be valid, but it's the best I could find).

I've prepared a trivial example.

code00.py:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import sys
import os
import pywintypes
import win32wnet


CONNECT_INTERACTIVE = 0x00000008

HOST_NAME = "192.168.1.3"
SHARE_NAME = "Work"
SHARE_FULL_NAME = os.path.sep * 2 + os.path.sep.join((HOST_NAME, SHARE_NAME))
SHARE_USER = "cfati"
SHARE_PWD = "********"


def main():
    net_resource = win32wnet.NETRESOURCE()
    net_resource.lpRemoteName = SHARE_FULL_NAME
    flags = 0
    #flags |= CONNECT_INTERACTIVE
    print("Trying to create connection to: {:s}".format(SHARE_FULL_NAME))
    try:
        win32wnet.WNetAddConnection2(net_resource, SHARE_PWD, SHARE_USER, flags)
    except pywintypes.error as e:
        print(e)
    else:
        print("Success!")


if __name__ == "__main__":
    print("Python {:s} on {:s}\n".format(sys.version, sys.platform))
    main()

Notes:

• The password is obfuscated (obviously)

• This is the simplest functionality (the equivalent of your command), however the function can do much more:

  • One thing that I want to point out. If you:

    • Input some invalid credentials, and
    • Decomment the flags |= CONNECT_INTERACTIVE line

    A credentials dialog box will then pop up

Output:

(py35x64_test) e:\Work\Dev\StackOverflow\q050602112>net use
New connections will be remembered.

There are no entries in the list.


(py35x64_test) e:\Work\Dev\StackOverflow\q050602112>"e:\Work\Dev\VEnvs\py35x64_test\Scripts\python.exe" code00.py
Python 3.5.4 (v3.5.4:3f56838, Aug  8 2017, 02:17:05) [MSC v.1900 64 bit (AMD64)] on win32

Trying to create connection to: \\192.168.1.3\Work
Success!

(py35x64_test) e:\Work\Dev\StackOverflow\q050602112>net use
New connections will be remembered.


Status       Local     Remote                    Network

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OK                     \\192.168.1.3\Work        Microsoft Windows Network
The command completed successfully.


(py35x64_test) e:\Work\Dev\StackOverflow\q050602112>net use * /delete /y
You have these remote connections:

                    \\192.168.1.3\Work
Continuing will cancel the connections.

The command completed successfully.


(py35x64_test) e:\Work\Dev\StackOverflow\q050602112>net use
New connections will be remembered.

There are no entries in the list.