SETUID(2) Linux Programmer's Manual SETUID(2)
NAME
setuid - set user identity
SYNOPSIS
#include<sys/types.h>
#include<unistd.h>
intsetuid(uid_t uid);
DESCRIPTION
setuid sets the effective user ID of the current process. If the
effective userid of the caller is root, the real and saved user ID's
are also set.
Under Linux, setuid is implemented like the POSIX version with the
_POSIX_SAVED_IDS feature. This allows a setuid (other than root) pro-
gram to drop all of its user privileges, do some un-privileged work,
and then re-engage the original effective user ID in a secure manner.
If the user is root or the program is setuid root, special care must be
taken. The setuid function checks the effective uid of the caller and
if it is the superuser, all process related user ID's are set to uid.
After this has occurred, it is impossible for the program to regain
root privileges.
Thus, a setuid-root program wishing to temporarily drop root privi-
leges, assume the identity of a non-root user, and then regain root
privileges afterwards cannot use setuid. You can accomplish this with
the (non-POSIX, BSD) call seteuid.
RETURNVALUE
On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned, and errno is
set appropriately.
ERRORS
EPERM The user is not the super-user, and uid does not match the real
or saved user ID of the calling process.
CONFORMINGTO
SVr4, SVID, POSIX.1. Not quite compatible with the 4.4BSD call, which
sets all of the real, saved, and effective user IDs. SVr4 documents an
additional EINVAL error condition.
LINUX-SPECIFICREMARKS
Linux has the concept of filesystem user ID, normally equal to the
effective user ID. The setuid call also sets the filesystem user ID of
the current process. See setfsuid(2).
If uid is different from the old effective uid, the process will be
forbidden from leaving core dumps.
SEEALSO
getuid(2), setreuid(2), seteuid(2), setfsuid(2)
Linux 1.1.36 1994-07-29 SETUID(2)
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