How to enable a non root user to substitute the file /etc/hosts by cp command, without the sudo command?

frankfalse

7/17/24, 7:30 AM

On my lubuntu 22.04 I need to change the file /etc/hosts. To do that I would to execute the command:

> /usr/bin/cp /path/to/new_hosts /etc/hosts

by a non root user without the sudo command. To do this I have add the following line to the file /etc/sudoers:

<username> ALL = (root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/cp /path/to/new_hosts /etc/hosts

I have checked the correct syntax of /etc/sudoers by the command:

> sudo visudo -c /etc/sudoers

The output of the command is:

/etc/sudoers: parsed OK
/etc/sudoers.d/10-installer: parsed OK
/etc/sudoers.d/README: parsed OK
/etc/sudoers.d/kdesu-sudoers: parsed OK

The message /etc/sudoers: parsed OK assures me that the syntax of /etc/sudoers is correct.

When I execute the cp command by a terminal the result is Permission denied.

Where is the mistake?

1 + 3

permissions

command-line

sudo

lubuntu

guiverc

7/17/24, 7:36 AM

You need to use `sudo` to use the `sudoedit` or modify any files in `/etc` (such as `sudoers` though I'd recommend using `visudo` so changes are validated before saving! as don't forget any error in the file is treated as a EOF thus subsequent lines are ignored; meaning you risk losing `sudo` access on the system if you make a mistake)

frankfalse

7/17/24, 7:45 AM

@guiverc I have edited the question according to to your comment.

AlexD

7/17/24, 7:47 AM

You can't get `cp` to work without `sudo` by editing `sudo` configs.

Score:4

Ubuntu

pLumo

7/17/24, 7:49 AM

You will need to run your command with sudo:

sudo /usr/bin/cp /path/to/new_hosts /etc/hosts

Otherwise, the sudoers file won't be considered.

+ 1

frankfalse

7/17/24, 7:59 AM

Perfect, It was 1 day that I was looking for this answer. Thank you very much

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EN: How to enable a non root user to substitute the file /etc/hosts by cp command, without the sudo command?

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