Elevate rights on SSH remote

[peterkappelt]

Hi,
this is more of a quick thought I have, but not a good idea for implementation yet.

Following scenario, I think it is quite typical:

• Remote server with SSH enabled. Root login is disabled for security reasons
• I can login with a generic account (let it call operator) that has the right to do sudo/ su
• I want to edit configuration files (/etc/*), of course this is only allowed by root

I'm thinking of some possibility to elevate the permissions of the file explorer/ text editor of Code, so that I log in using operator over SSH, but Code runs elevated as root through sudo.

However, I currently have no idea what the proper implementation could be for that.

It would be quite useful for administration purposes.

[roblourens]

In a local window, if you try to save a file that the user doesn't have permissions to edit, vscode will prompt to retry with sudo. I assume the same works in a remote window. Have you tried?

[peterkappelt]

Hi,

no - unfortunately not. At least not in VS Code for Windows (1.35.0-insider) being connected to an SSH remote.

I tried saving a generic file to a directory without the necessary permissions:
Unable to write file (NoPermissions (FileSystemError): Error: EACCES: permission denied, open '/etc/test-config/vscode-test.file')

I'm going to retry it on a Linux machine later. To be honest, I didn't event known about the existence of this feature for local environments 🤔

[TrevorSayre]

I am mainly wanting this so I can edit files in /etc/nginx

When I edit a config file in, for example, /etc/nginx/sites-available and attempt to save, I get the error:

Failed to save 'example': Unable to write file (NoPermissions (FileSystemError): Error: EACCES: permission denied, open '/etc/nginx/sites-available/example')

I am given the options to Retry, Save As..., or Discard with no obvious way to elevate permissions.

I am able to code-insiders /etc/nginx, but I am NOT able to sudo code-insiders /etc/nginx in an attempt to open an elevated permissions editor session as it says sudo: code-insiders: command not found which makes sense.

[egamma]

@bpasero should elevation work in a remote context?

[bpasero]

No.

Duplicate of microsoft/vscode#48659