How to get sudo username in python?

Question

I am trying to run my script as below and want access to sudo user running this script.

:$sudo -u usergroup script.py

So here I am expecting 'usergroup' as output. What I have tried is,

.

:$ sudo -u usergroup ipython

In [1]: import getpass

In [2]: getpass.getuser()
Out[2]: 'akshay'

.

In [4]: os.getenv("SUDO_USER")
Out[4]: 'akshay'

In [5]: os.getenv("USER")
Out[5]: 'akshay'

I am using below python version.

In [7]: sys.version
Out[7]: '2.7.11 (default, Apr 25 2016, 09:27:56) \n[GCC 5.2.1 20150902 (Red Hat 5.2.1-2)]'

In [8]:

Kindly help here. Could not came across any existing question or solution for it.

Are you trying to execute commands on the server as sudo? or just getting information about sudo? — JacobIRR
– JacobIRR, Commented May 12, 2017 at 5:14
sudo expands to switch user and do. It can be used to execute a command as any other user. The user can be specified using -u. Now the default (in case -u is not provided) is root. — Ajay Brahmakshatriya
– Ajay Brahmakshatriya, Commented May 12, 2017 at 5:26

falsetru · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-12 05:26:52Z

9

You need to use os.geteuid to get effective user id (euid, used for most access checks).

>>> import os
>>> os.geteuid()
0

Then, pass the return value to pwd.getpwuid to get information about the uid returned:

>>> import pwd
>>> pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid())
pwd.struct_passwd(pw_name='root', pw_passwd='x', ...)

Access pw_name attribute (or [0]) of the pwd.getpwuid() to get username of the effective user.

>>> pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid()).pw_name
'root'
>>> pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid())[0]
'root'

To get effective group information, use os.getegid + grp.getgrgid.

>>> grp.getgrgid(os.getegid())
grp.struct_group(gr_name='root', gr_passwd='x', gr_gid=0, gr_mem=[])
>>> grp.getgrgid(os.getegid()).gr_name
'root'

answered May 12, 2017 at 5:17

falsetru

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1 Comment

Perfect solution for my usecase, infact later one liner pwd.getpwuid(os.geteuid()).pw_name