Execute macOS scripts as Defined User

Description

By default, the FileWave Client executes scripts and tasks with elevated permissions (root on macOS). The below shows a method to launch a command as an alternate user when ran through FileWave.

Ingredients

• Text editor
• FileWave Central

Directions

The sudo command may be used to define a user to run a command.  Launchctl may also be used to define a user.  In some instances only one of these options may be successful.  However, both may be defined in the same command at the same time, increasing the chances of success.

The below method not only shows a method to define the user, but grabs the current 'console' user.  

#!/bin/zsh
current_user=$(stat -f%Su /dev/console)
current_user_id=$(id -u $current_user)

whoami

launchctl asuser $current_user_id sudo -u $current_user whoami

When ran through FileWave, the output of the above will show the output of the 'whoami' command has altered, by first echoing the root username and then the name of the active console user of the device.

If the current user logged in where 'sholden', the output should show:

root
sholden