Mount .iso files (and other stuff) as non root

[zogoibi]

Hello. I'm sure this question has been asked often, but I haven't been able to find a satisfactory answer.

I want to be able to loop-mount .iso files (and other stuff) as my normal (non-root) user. But when I try to do it (command: "mount -o loop my-file.iso /media/iso"), I get the fateful "mount: only root can do that" message.

Anyone knows how to skip this pickyness of the mount command? But, to save your time and mine, before replying please keep in mind that:

1.- I don't want to use sudo every time. It's slow and annoying.
2.- Logically, I can't be editing /etc/fstab for every new .iso file I want to mount.
3.- I don't want to use any gui program. I want to mount in a console.
4.- I've tried to make /bin/mount suid root, but it doesn't work
5.- I've tried to edit the /etc/sudoers file (user ALL = NOPASSWD: /bin/mount), but it doesn't work.

If possible, I'd love to be able to mount ANYTHING as a normal user, not just an .iso file.

Thank you.

[antonio_helder2002]

well u r moving on the correct line

try using

$sudo su
(su changes user id and makes or makes u a super user)
$cd /mnt/iso
(creates the folder where u want to mount the ISO)
$mount -o loop myfile.iso /mnt/ISO
(mounts the ISO to specifies destination)

[Jaleks]

well u r moving on the correct line

try using

$sudo su

I don't really think, that is really helpfull to set up for the ordinary users.
But what about fuseIso (sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/fuse/index.php?title=FuseIso)?

[zogoibi]

Antonio: thanks, but remember my point #1.
I know I can su, I know I can sudo; I can all the same login as root and disregard a normal user. But what I want to do (supposing it's possible) is much, much simpler: I want to mount something as a simple user. Why can't I?
Very often, I really, really fail to understand the programmers' minds. I can find no strong reason whatsoever to ban a normal user from mounting an .iso file, or whatever. Why on earth is the mount command so supercilious? That frustrates me.

Jaleks: Thanks. fuseiso works great.
And, yet... it's not quite the same.

[Jaleks]

I can find no strong reason whatsoever to ban a normal user from mounting an .iso file, or whatever.

I can't neither. I think they are afraid of having users mount an .iso on /var or something - but where would be the problem of checking write permissions, or forcing mounting below the home directory only, for ordinary users. *sigh* In which language mount was written then? Perhaps we should release a patch...

[elija]

An injudicious mount could bork your system. It's a way of making your accept responsibility for doing so

[jayd512]

Allowing anyone to mount anything can also cause security issues.
If you, a regular user, can mount anything you like, then you can introduce outside software to the system. Or you could easily copy files or documents and smuggle them out.

[zogoibi]

I can't neither. I think they are afraid of having users mount an .iso on /var or something - but where would be the problem of checking write permissions, or forcing mounting below the home directory only, for ordinary users. *sigh* In which language mount was written then? Perhaps we should release a patch...

If only I knew how to make a patch!!
Anyhow, very likely there are options in the Makefile for compiling the program so as to be more permissive, don't you think so?

An injudicious mount could bork your system. It's a way of making your accept responsibility for doing so

Allowing anyone to mount anything can also cause security issues.
If you, a regular user, can mount anything you like, then you can introduce outside software to the system. Or you could easily copy files or documents and smuggle them out.

*Sigh*
This is a very old story: usability versus security. Of course linux "gurus" tend to support programmers' choices. But in a quick google search, I've just found approximately 500 threads addressing the problem. We're facing no small issue.

IMHO, none of the two argued reasons are strong enough to ban a normal user from such an essential function as mounting an iso image, or the like. This is not Windows. Linux users are supposed to know a bit better what they're doing; at least, those who ever open a console. If they're knowledgable enough to use a console, and to su, then they're dangerous enough to injure their systems in one thousand ways, for example "rm -rf /". However, according to your reasoning, we should perhaps ban a normal user from suing or even sudoing: an injudicious su can "bork" your system and cause security issues. If a root user can mount whatever he wants, he can also introduce outside software and smuggle out documents, etc.

I rather believe that it's more a matter of some programmers' character, than a security measure.

Whatever. My question has been already replied: with a ready made mount command, there's no way a normal user can mount. Period. Now, let's move to something else.

[atreyu]

when i've had to do stuff like this in the past, I wrote a small C prog that took an arbitrary command to run as the first arg to it, and any arguments to that command as additional arguments to the C prog. Then I setuid and setuid 0 in the C prog, compiled it, chowned it to root, chmod 4755 it and i'm golden.

Wildly insecure, but there it is...