WPA_PRIV(8)WPA_PRIV(8)NAMEwpa_priv - wpa_supplicant privilege separation helper
SYNOPSISwpa_priv [ -c ctrl path ] [ -Bdd ] [ -P pid file ] [ driver:ifname
[driver:ifname ...] ]
OVERVIEWwpa_priv is a privilege separation helper that minimizes the size of
wpa_supplicant code that needs to be run with root privileges.
If enabled, privileged operations are done in the wpa_priv process
while leaving rest of the code (e.g., EAP authentication and WPA hand‐
shakes) to operate in an unprivileged process (wpa_supplicant) that can
be run as non-root user. Privilege separation restricts the effects of
potential software errors by containing the majority of the code in an
unprivileged process to avoid the possibility of a full system compro‐
mise.
wpa_priv needs to be run with network admin privileges (usually, root
user). It opens a UNIX domain socket for each interface that is
included on the command line; any other interface will be off limits
for wpa_supplicant in this kind of configuration. After this, wpa_sup‐
plicant can be run as a non-root user (e.g., all standard users on a
laptop or as a special non-privileged user account created just for
this purpose to limit access to user files even further).
EXAMPLE CONFIGURATION
The following steps are an example of how to configure wpa_priv to
allow users in the wpapriv group to communicate with wpa_supplicant
with privilege separation:
Create user group (e.g., wpapriv) and assign users that should be able
to use wpa_supplicant into that group.
Create /var/run/wpa_priv directory for UNIX domain sockets and control
user access by setting it accessible only for the wpapriv group:
mkdir /var/run/wpa_priv
chown root:wpapriv /var/run/wpa_priv
chmod 0750 /var/run/wpa_priv
Start wpa_priv as root (e.g., from system startup scripts) with the
enabled interfaces configured on the command line:
wpa_priv-B -c /var/run/wpa_priv -P /var/run/wpa_priv.pid wext:wlan0
Run wpa_supplicant as non-root with a user that is in the wpapriv
group:
wpa_supplicant -i ath0 -c wpa_supplicant.conf
COMMAND ARGUMENTS-c ctrl path
Specify the path to wpa_priv control directory (Default:
/var/run/wpa_priv/).
-B Run as a daemon in the background.
-P file
Set the location of the PID file.
driver:ifname [driver:ifname ...]
The <driver> string dictates which of the supported wpa_suppli‐
cant driver backends is to be used. To get a list of supported
driver types see wpa_supplicant help (e.g, wpa_supplicant -h).
The driver backend supported by most good drivers is wext.
The <ifname> string specifies which network interface is to be
managed by wpa_supplicant (e.g., wlan0 or ath0).
wpa_priv does not use the network interface before wpa_suppli‐
cant is started, so it is fine to include network interfaces
that are not available at the time wpa_priv is started. wpa_priv
can control multiple interfaces with one process, but it is also
possible to run multiple wpa_priv processes at the same time, if
desired.
SEE ALSOwpa_supplicant(8)LEGAL
wpa_supplicant is copyright (c) 2003-2012, Jouni Malinen <j@w1.fi> and
contributors. All Rights Reserved.
This program is licensed under the BSD license (the one with advertise‐
ment clause removed).
12 January 2013 WPA_PRIV(8)
