Question

Is there a way to configure a binary to be installed as “SUID” using automake/autoconf?
Is there any magick that can lead a make install to set the suid bit of a given binary target?

NOTE:
I am running a “fakerooted” make install inside a script to create a tar file.

I tried:

# Makefile.am

bin_PROGRAMS = my_bin

#...

install-exec-hook:
    echo    "#### Setting SUID for my_bin. ####"
    ls -l $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/my_bin
    chmod 4755 $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/my_bin
    ls -l $(DESTDIR)$(bindir)/my_bin
    echo    "####-------------------------------####"

But with no success.

During make install I see:

#### Setting SUID for sudo_script. ####
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8704 Mar 28 13:30 /install.pak/usr/bin/my_bin
-rwsr-xr-x 1 root root 8704 Mar 28 13:30 /install.pak/usr/bin/my_bin
####-------------------------------####

So one could think it is a problem with fakeroot, but if I move the chmod out of Makefile.am to my packaging script, it works. This is enough to convince me fakeroot is doing its job.

Thanks.

Answer 1

GAHH!!

Someone unconsciously put in my script, after $FAKEROOT make install:

$FAKEROOT chmod 755 $PAK_DIR/usr/bin/*

replacing all the permissions writen by make install.

Removing this line the install-exec-hook works as expected and the SUID bit is preserved…

(Were did I put my ax?…)