Execute batch script with admin rights in windows 8.1 by exec()

Question

I am trying to run a batch file from php with exec() but it is not working. When I run the same script in a command window in admin mode the script works.

Now I want to know how can I configure in php that my script can be execute with ADMIN mode.

Solution

You can use RunAs Command. Since it will ask admin password and you are running it from web you should pipe the admin password to the command.

exec('echo adminpassword | runas /user:administrator fullPathToProgram',$output);
print_r($output);

Comments

[Harry Johnston]

Embedding an administrator password into a PHP script is a pretty good way to get hacked.

[Harikrishnan]

@HarryJohnston Yes of course... Also Using windows and enabling dangerous php functions like exec is another good way to get hacked...:)

[Steve Bauman]

@HarryJohnston Who says that the password isn't dynamically passed into the command from (administrator) user input and never stored? This is a completely fine approach.

[Harry Johnston]

@Steve, I don't think that's what the OP was asking to do, but I could be mistaken. In retrospect, though, the main problem with this answer is that it won't work: runas filters the user token, so you don't get admin privilege even if you provide admin credentials.

[Steve Bauman]

@HarryJohnston Good point - reading it over I think you're right. By the way, do you know of an alternative to runas? I'm trying to have PHP automatically import a scheduled task XML file under the "SYSTEM" account, but it fails due to permissions - even when using the schtasks params (/u, /p)

[Harry Johnston]

@Steve, I think typically you would want to run the PHP script with elevated credentials, whether you can do that and how you would go about it depends on the scenario.