PHP - cannot delete file

Question

I try to delete a file which is in /etc/scripts/

First I created a demo file:

echo "test1234" > test.log

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5 Jul 3 13:15 test.log

Now I try to delete it by using PHP:

deleteFile();

function deleteFile()
{
    $file = "/etc/scripts/test.log";

    if (is_file($file)) {
        chmod($file, 0777);
        if (unlink($file)) {
            return "File '$file' deleted.";
        } else {
            return "File '$file' could not be deleted.";
        }
    } else {
        return "$file is not a file!";
    }
}

But I get File '/etc/scripts/test.log' could not be deleted. as response;

I also executed chmod 777 test.log on the file, same result.

check your user own the operation or not? This operation might be permitted to the root — urfusion
– urfusion, Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 11:27
You probably aren't targeting the file properly, maybe some path issue. Do var_dump(file_exists($file)); first, inside the deleteFile function — samayo
– samayo, Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 11:29
did you do chmod 777 as root in the console? Doing it from php will not change anything (except if you have managed to get php to run as root) — rypskar
– rypskar, Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 11:32
@samayo, no I checked it by outputting the content with cat, the path is correct — Black
– Black, Commented Jul 3, 2017 at 11:32

Alex Blex · Accepted Answer · 2017-07-03 11:32:42Z

3

Not only the file itself, but also the directory /etc/scripts/ should be writable by the user who executes the script.

answered Jul 3, 2017 at 11:32

Alex Blex

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1 Comment

Black Over a year ago

You are correct, I had to give the third group write permission, now it works :) But I will do it with shell_exec('sudo rm PATH'); instead and make an entry for that file in the /etc/sudoers, its more secure than allowing public to write.

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