Search code examples
pythonlinuxsystem-administrationsudoroot

Run a linux system command as a superuser, using a python script

I have got postfix installed on my machine and I am updating virtual_alias on the fly programmatically(using python)(on some action). Once I update the entry in the /etc/postfix/virtual_alias, I am running the command:

sudo /usr/sbin/postmap /etc/postfix/virtual_alias 2>>/work/postfix_valias_errorfile
But I am getting the error:
sudo: sorry, you must have a tty to run sudo

I want to run the mentioned sudo command in a non-human way(meaning, I am running this system command from a python script.). So how do I get this command run programmatically?

Solution

  • You can either run your python script as root itself - then you won't need to add privilege to reload postfix.

    Or you can configure sudo to not need a password for /etc/init.d/postfix.

    sudo configuration (via visudo) allows NOPASSWD: to allow the command without a password. See http://www.sudo.ws/sudo/man/sudoers.html#nopasswd_and_passwd

    <username>  ALL = NOPASSWD: /etc/init.d/postfix

    or something similar.