Can a Perl script modify .htaccess

SergioQ has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

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Re: Can a Perl script modify .htaccess by hippo (Archbishop) on Jul 22, 2019 at 21:43 UTC
Yes, it is both dangerous and possible. Apache::Admin::Config and taint mode will help to limit the danger, but only a bit.	[reply]
Re: Can a Perl script modify .htaccess by soonix (Chancellor) on Jul 22, 2019 at 21:50 UTC
yes	[reply]
Re^2: Can a Perl script modify .htaccess by SergioQ (Scribe) on Jul 23, 2019 at 01:38 UTC
Sorry, I see my error now The documentation says `my $obj = Apache::Htaccess->new($path_to_htaccess);` and I took that to literally mean just the path.	[reply] [d/l]
Re^2: Can a Perl script modify .htaccess by SergioQ (Scribe) on Jul 23, 2019 at 01:04 UTC
My apologies I meant to say I tried that module. And it has so many warnings and I am having trouble figuring it out. I'll call `my $obj = Apache::Htaccess->new('/var/www/examplecom/public_html/');` And I get Use of uninitialized value in substitution (s///) at /usr/local/share/ +perl/5.26.1/Apache/Htaccess.pm line 63. Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/local/share/ +perl/5.26.1/Apache/Htaccess.pm line 67. Use of uninitialized value in substitution (s///) at /usr/local/share/ +perl/5.26.1/Apache/Htaccess.pm line 68. Use of uninitialized value in substitution (s///) at /usr/local/share/ +perl/5.26.1/Apache/Htaccess.pm line 86. Use of uninitialized value in pattern match (m//) at /usr/local/share/ +perl/5.26.1/Apache/Htaccess.pm line 92. [download] If there were some sample documentation maybe I'd have a chance. My knowledge base is extremely limited in Perl and Linux, and I've Googled this module a lot to try and find samples. So I was just thinking if I could run a Cron job to do what I needed to do that might be a way to get done what I was trying to do.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: Can a Perl script modify .htaccess by SergioQ (Scribe) on Jul 23, 2019 at 05:02 UTC
So after a lot of testing, and playing I finally got the correct code. However in the end the changes I make only get saved if someone other than root owns .htaccess Not sure whether this follow up question belongs here in the replies or in a new question, but what would be the safest ownership of .htaccess so that I can change it from Perl scripts run via CGI?	[reply]
Re^3: Can a Perl script modify .htaccess [OT] and perms by hippo (Archbishop) on Jul 23, 2019 at 08:14 UTC
Assuming that you have exhausted all the other, safer means of achieving the same goal then in your place I might: Ensure `AllowOverride` is set to the smallest list feasible Create a user and group specifically for this task Ensure that only the files to be modified are owned by this user with tight perms (0644 should be easily lax enough) Set up suEXEC for just the one script to be run by this user/group Have an already-written contingency plan for when this system is broken into.	[reply] [d/l]