setuid()

Set the real, effective and saved user IDs

#include <unistd.h>

int setuid( uid_t uid );

Arguments:

uid

The user ID that you want to use for the process.

Library:

libc

Use the -l c option to qcc to link against this library. This library is usually included automatically.

Description:

The setuid() function lets the calling process set the real, effective and saved user IDs based on the following:

• If the process has the PROCMGR_AID_SETUID ability enabled (see procmgr_ability() ), setuid() sets the real user ID, effective user ID and saved user ID to uid.
• If the process doesn't have the PROCMGR_AID_SETUID ability enabled, but uid is equal to the real user ID or saved set-user ID, setuid() sets the effective user ID to uid; the real and saved user IDs aren't changed.

If you wish to change only the effective user ID, you should consider using the seteuid() function.

Returns:

0 for success, or -1 if an error occurs (errno is set).

Errors:

EINVAL

The value of uid is out of range.

EPERM

The process doesn't have the PROCMGR_AID_SETUID ability enabled, and uid doesn't match the real user ID or saved set-user ID.

Examples:

/*
 * This process sets its userid to 0 (root)
 */
#include <stdio.h>
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main( void )
{
    uid_t ouid;

    ouid = getuid();
    if( setuid( 0 ) == -1 ) {
        perror( "setuid" );
        return EXIT_FAILURE;
    }

    printf( "userid %d switched to 0\n", ouid );
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

Classification:

POSIX 1003.1