php - proc_open (or other function that works)

Question

I need to do some command lines through a browser. What I need to do in a command-line would be:

$login
<login name>
<password>
$passwd
<old password>
<new password>
<retype new password>

So, how can I do this using the proc_open function? Or should I use another function to do this?

Thanks

Answer 1

You don't need to issue login to change the password for a user, just give their name to passwd. Using popen (as we don't need to read in this tiny example), something like

$pp = popen("passwd ${user}", "w");
fwrite($pp, $oldPassword . '\n');
fwrite($pp, $newPassword . '\n');
fwrite($pp, $newPassword . '\n');
pclose($pp);

If you want to read the responses, use proc_open, and just read from the stdout handle you're given.

I hope this is all well secured, and that you have a lot of sanitisation on the username.

Answer 2

http://pecl.php.net/package/PAM might be something you can use.
It has a function bool pam_chpass(string $username, string $oldpassword, string $newpassword [, string &$error ]).
But I've never used it.

Answer 3

Adam Wright, I've tried your example, but I just can't change users password. do I need to do any other things in the script (besides defining $user, $userPassword and $newPassword)?

Thanks

Answer 4

Found this Change Linux or UNIX system password using PHP script in the internet.

A very detailed description on how to create a website where a user can change his own system password.