note 98162 deleted from function.exec by visualmind

Note Submitter: pyesley at yahoo dot co dot uk ---- Problem: I could not get exec("myprogram.exe") to run a executable file. I could see the myprogram.exe launch into the Task Manager, but then the .php script would hang. I tried system(), and launching .bat files. Nothing worked. System: I'm running windows XP SP2, with Apache. Solution: Change the user associated with apache. The process httpd.exe was running as the user: SYSTEM. I changed it to run under a different user, (me). Now perhaps this isn't great for security, but it does work. To do this go to Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services. Find the Apache Service and stop it. Right click to bring up it's properties. Go to the LogOn tab And change the service to run under a different account. You have to add a password. It didn't work when I put it to an account without a password. Then restart the service Apache. Check in the task manager to see that httpd.exe is not running under the user SYSTEM but rather a new user with lots of privileges. Now exec(myprogram.exe) will launch and execute myprogram.exe. Maybe another user can tell me what security options I should use to keep this solution without sacrificing too much security.