Re: psql remote shell command

On Thu, Jun 2, 2016 at 7:54 PM, Stephen Frost <sfrost(at)snowman(dot)net> wrote:

> * Dennis (dennisr(at)visi(dot)com) wrote:
> > Is it possible to execute command in on system the is hosting postgresql
> remotely using psql or other mechanism? I know I can use \! in psql but
> that executes the commands on the host where I am running psql from. Also,
> is it possible for a postgres login/user to stop or restart a running
> postgres instance from in side psql or similar client. e.g. psql -c “pg_ctl
> stop -D some_data_dir”
>
You can use COPY with PROGRAM, assuming you're a superuser.
>
> COPY (select 1) TO PROGRAM 'whatever command';
>

​That's thinking outside the box.

​Took me a while to find the documentation of the superuser limitation
buried in the notes.

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/devel/static/sql-copy.html

I see why SELinux and its ilk are necessary evils in situations where finer
grained control is needed.

David J.