php exec('ps -aeo') doesn't return all processes

Question

I'm trying to build a simple php script to return a JSON formatted list of running processes.

This script of course is executed by apache.

I have everything figured out except one little detail. When the script is executed by apache the command only returns a list of running processes that are owned by the 'apache' user.

Is there anyway around this?

exec('ps -aeo',$output);
//then some code to parse the $output and return a JSON string

OUTPUT:

"processes": [
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23698",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23486",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23485",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23484",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23483",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23482",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23481",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23480",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23479",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "23478",
      "user": "apache",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "1008",
      "user": "root",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/httpd"
    },
    {
      "cpu": "0.0",
      "pid": "959",
      "user": "root",
      "command": "/usr/sbin/abrtd"
    }
  ]

@cwscribner Beat me to it. Yep. Although you may end up with some formatting issues as a result of this, suck as the `strikethrough`. — Ohgodwhy, Oct 14 '14 at 19:12
I just did something similar recently. Maybe looking at my code will help you ;) http://geneticcoder.blogspot.com/2014/10/php-process-manager-with-top.html — I wrestled a bear once., Oct 14 '14 at 19:20
@cwscribner no luck with 'aux', still only outputs apache owned processes. — Sean256, Oct 14 '14 at 19:25
Then your Linux has some kind of extra permission-limiting feature switched on for `/proc`, something like Grsecurity, or similar. — Laszlo Valko, Oct 14 '14 at 23:58

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 21 '14 at 12:34

2

i had the same problem, this solved it. (assuming you have root privileges)

# chcon -t unconfined_exec_t /sbin/httpd

see detailed document here

probably not a good idea if the server is shared by untrustful users

answered Nov 21 '14 at 12:34

hc100

156
1
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php exec('ps -aeo') doesn't return all processes

1 Answers1