run_authorized_osx -- Ask for authorization and run command in OS X

BUILDING

• git clone https://github.com/jonbho/run_authorized_osx.git
• cd run_authorized_osx
• make

It just invokes gcc to build, including the Security OS X framework to access the required APIs.

USAGE

• Invoke as run_authorized_osx whatever command you want, where whatever command you want is what you want to run authorized.
• This will ask for admin rights to run the command whatever command you want, bringing up the common graphical "admin password" dialog.
• If the user does not enter the right password, the command will not be run.
• Exit status is -1 if there is any issue obtaining authorization from the user, or whatever the command returns in any other case.
• The first parameter given is taken as the command to be executed, the rest are passed in as arguments to that command.
• The $PATH variable is not checked to run the command, you need to provide the full path to the executable.

IMPORTANT NOTE

Unfortunately, the main API used by this little utility, AuthorizationExecuteWithPrivileges, is deprecated by Apple :( Thus, it will stop working at some point in the (near) future. The suppoted alternative, SMJobBless, is a lot less flexible, can only be used inside an app bundle, etc...

FUTURE EVOLUTION

It's difficult to makes predictions, especially about the future. But if someone adds $PATH searching, I would be very happy to merge that in...

ATTRIBUTION

Based on sample code by Michael V. O'Brien at https://github.com/michaelvobrien/OSXSlightlyBetterAuth, just shaped to be more flexibly reused from scripts, etc...

LEGAL

(c) August 2016 Jon Beltran de Heredia (jonbho). Licensed under the MIT license.