VISUDO(1m)                   System Manager's Manual                  VISUDO(1m)

NNAAMMEE
     vviissuuddoo - edit the sudoers file

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
     vviissuuddoo [--cchhqqssVV] [--ff _s_u_d_o_e_r_s] [--xx _o_u_t_p_u_t___f_i_l_e]

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
     vviissuuddoo edits the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file in a safe fashion, analogous to vipw(1m).
     vviissuuddoo locks the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file against multiple simultaneous edits,
     provides basic sanity checks, and checks for parse errors.  If the
     _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file is currently being edited you will receive a message to try
     again later.

     There is a hard-coded list of one or more editors that vviissuuddoo will use
     set at compile-time that may be overridden via the _e_d_i_t_o_r _s_u_d_o_e_r_s Default
     variable.  This list defaults to vi.  Normally, vviissuuddoo does not honor the
     VISUAL or EDITOR environment variables unless they contain an editor in
     the aforementioned editors list.  However, if vviissuuddoo is configured with
     the --with-env-editor option or the _e_n_v___e_d_i_t_o_r Default variable is set in
     _s_u_d_o_e_r_s, vviissuuddoo will use any the editor defines by VISUAL or EDITOR.
     Note that this can be a security hole since it allows the user to execute
     any program they wish simply by setting VISUAL or EDITOR.

     vviissuuddoo parses the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file after the edit and will not save the
     changes if there is a syntax error.  Upon finding an error, vviissuuddoo will
     print a message stating the line number(s) where the error occurred and
     the user will receive the ``What now?'' prompt.  At this point the user
     may enter `e' to re-edit the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file, `x' to exit without saving the
     changes, or `Q' to quit and save changes.  The `Q' option should be used
     with extreme care because if vviissuuddoo believes there to be a parse error,
     so will ssuuddoo and no one will be able to run ssuuddoo again until the error is
     fixed.  If `e' is typed to edit the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file after a parse error has
     been detected, the cursor will be placed on the line where the error
     occurred (if the editor supports this feature).

     The options are as follows:

     --cc, ----cchheecckk
                 Enable _c_h_e_c_k_-_o_n_l_y mode.  The existing _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file will be
                 checked for syntax errors, owner and mode.  A message will be
                 printed to the standard output describing the status of
                 _s_u_d_o_e_r_s unless the --qq option was specified.  If the check
                 completes successfully, vviissuuddoo will exit with a value of 0.
                 If an error is encountered, vviissuuddoo will exit with a value of
                 1.

     --ff _s_u_d_o_e_r_s, ----ffiillee=_s_u_d_o_e_r_s
                 Specify an alternate _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file location.  With this
                 option, vviissuuddoo will edit (or check) the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file of your
                 choice, instead of the default, _/_e_t_c_/_s_u_d_o_e_r_s.  The lock file
                 used is the specified _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file with ``.tmp'' appended to
                 it.  In _c_h_e_c_k_-_o_n_l_y mode only, the argument to --ff may be `-',
                 indicating that _s_u_d_o_e_r_s will be read from the standard input.

     --hh, ----hheellpp  Display a short help message to the standard output and exit.

     --qq, ----qquuiieett
                 Enable _q_u_i_e_t mode.  In this mode details about syntax errors
                 are not printed.  This option is only useful when combined
                 with the --cc option.

     --ss, ----ssttrriicctt
                 Enable _s_t_r_i_c_t checking of the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file.  If an alias is
                 used before it is defined, vviissuuddoo will consider this a parse
                 error.  Note that it is not possible to differentiate between
                 an alias and a host name or user name that consists solely of
                 uppercase letters, digits, and the underscore (`_')
                 character.

     --VV, ----vveerrssiioonn
                 Print the vviissuuddoo and _s_u_d_o_e_r_s grammar versions and exit.

     --xx _o_u_t_p_u_t___f_i_l_e, ----eexxppoorrtt=_o_u_t_p_u_t___f_i_l_e
                 Export a _s_u_d_o_e_r_s in JSON format and write it to _o_u_t_p_u_t___f_i_l_e.
                 If _o_u_t_p_u_t___f_i_l_e is `-', the exported _s_u_d_o_e_r_s policy will be
                 written to the standard output.  By default, _/_e_t_c_/_s_u_d_o_e_r_s
                 (and any files it includes) will be exported.  The --ff option
                 can be used to specify a different _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file to export.
                 The exported format is intended to be easier for third-party
                 applications to parse than the traditional _s_u_d_o_e_r_s format.
                 The various values have explicit types which removes much of
                 the ambiguity of the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s format.

   DDeebbuuggggiinngg aanndd ssuuddooeerrss pplluuggiinn aarrgguummeennttss
     vviissuuddoo versions 1.8.4 and higher support a flexible debugging framework
     that is configured via Debug lines in the sudo.conf(4) file.

     Starting with ssuuddoo 1.8.12, vviissuuddoo will also parse the arguments to the
     _s_u_d_o_e_r_s plugin to override the default _s_u_d_o_e_r_s path name, UID, GID and
     file mode.  These arguments, if present, should be listed after the path
     to the plugin (i.e. after _s_u_d_o_e_r_s_._s_o).  Multiple arguments may be
     specified, separated by white space.  For example:

           Plugin sudoers_policy sudoers.so sudoers_mode=0400

     The following arguments are supported:

     sudoers_file=pathname
               The _s_u_d_o_e_r_s___f_i_l_e argument can be used to override the default
               path to the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file.

     sudoers_uid=uid
               The _s_u_d_o_e_r_s___u_i_d argument can be used to override the default
               owner of the sudoers file.  It should be specified as a numeric
               user ID.

     sudoers_gid=gid
               The _s_u_d_o_e_r_s___g_i_d argument can be used to override the default
               group of the sudoers file.  It must be specified as a numeric
               group ID (not a group name).

     sudoers_mode=mode
               The _s_u_d_o_e_r_s___m_o_d_e argument can be used to override the default
               file mode for the sudoers file.  It should be specified as an
               octal value.

     For more information on configuring sudo.conf(4), please refer to its
     manual.

EENNVVIIRROONNMMEENNTT
     The following environment variables may be consulted depending on the
     value of the _e_d_i_t_o_r and _e_n_v___e_d_i_t_o_r _s_u_d_o_e_r_s settings:

     VISUAL           Invoked by vviissuuddoo as the editor to use

     EDITOR           Used by vviissuuddoo if VISUAL is not set

FFIILLEESS
     _/_e_t_c_/_s_u_d_o_._c_o_n_f            Sudo front end configuration

     _/_e_t_c_/_s_u_d_o_e_r_s              List of who can run what

     _/_e_t_c_/_s_u_d_o_e_r_s_._t_m_p          Lock file for visudo

DDIIAAGGNNOOSSTTIICCSS
     sudoers file busy, try again later.
           Someone else is currently editing the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file.

     /etc/sudoers.tmp: Permission denied
           You didn't run vviissuuddoo as root.

     Can't find you in the passwd database
           Your user ID does not appear in the system passwd file.

     Warning: {User,Runas,Host,Cmnd}_Alias referenced but not defined
           Either you are trying to use an undeclared
           {User,Runas,Host,Cmnd}_Alias or you have a user or host name listed
           that consists solely of uppercase letters, digits, and the
           underscore (`_') character.  In the latter case, you can ignore the
           warnings (ssuuddoo will not complain).  In --ss (strict) mode these are
           errors, not warnings.

     Warning: unused {User,Runas,Host,Cmnd}_Alias
           The specified {User,Runas,Host,Cmnd}_Alias was defined but never
           used.  You may wish to comment out or remove the unused alias.

     Warning: cycle in {User,Runas,Host,Cmnd}_Alias
           The specified {User,Runas,Host,Cmnd}_Alias includes a reference to
           itself, either directly or through an alias it includes.  This is
           only a warning by default as ssuuddoo will ignore cycles when parsing
           the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file.

     visudo: /etc/sudoers: input and output files must be different
           The --xx flag was used and the specified _o_u_t_p_u_t___f_i_l_e has the same
           path name as the _s_u_d_o_e_r_s file to export.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
     vi(1), sudo.conf(4), sudoers(4), sudo(1m), vipw(1m)

AAUUTTHHOORRSS
     Many people have worked on ssuuddoo over the years; this version consists of
     code written primarily by:

           Todd C. Miller

     See the CONTRIBUTORS file in the ssuuddoo distribution
     (https://www.sudo.ws/contributors.html) for an exhaustive list of people
     who have contributed to ssuuddoo.

CCAAVVEEAATTSS
     There is no easy way to prevent a user from gaining a root shell if the
     editor used by vviissuuddoo allows shell escapes.

BBUUGGSS
     If you feel you have found a bug in vviissuuddoo, please submit a bug report at
     https://bugzilla.sudo.ws/

SSUUPPPPOORRTT
     Limited free support is available via the sudo-users mailing list, see
     https://www.sudo.ws/mailman/listinfo/sudo-users to subscribe or search
     the archives.

DDIISSCCLLAAIIMMEERR
     vviissuuddoo is provided ``AS IS'' and any express or implied warranties,
     including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability
     and fitness for a particular purpose are disclaimed.  See the LICENSE
     file distributed with ssuuddoo or https://www.sudo.ws/license.html for
     complete details.

Sudo 1.8.16                    November 20, 2015                   Sudo 1.8.16
