Sendmail/Elm getting errors in mail.log for specific user

[KPS]

We're trying to figure out why a specific user when attempting to send mail is getting a "permission denied error". We send as root and all works well. Then we try another user and we get the following messages in the mail.log:

hash map "Alias0": unsafe map file /etc/mail/aliases.db: Permission denied
hash map "Alias0": unsafe map file /etc/mail/aliases.db: Permission denied
queuename: Cannot create "qfNAA23979" in "/var/spool/mqueue" (euid=155): Permission denied

We're having a hard time understanding what we have to do to correct this??? Would anyone know what this could be?

Thanks,

-Ken

[Rick Garland]

Permissions:ownerships

555 bin:bin /var
755 root:sys /var/spool
755 bin:bin /var/spool/mqueue

755 reoot:root /etc
555 bin:bin /etc/mail
640 root:bin /etc/mail/aliases.db

[Uday_S_Ankolekar · Accepted solution]

It's most likely to do with permissions on few files and directories

Here is complete list
RESOLUTION

The following information lists the Sendmail-related files and
directories, as well as their associated permissions:

Filename/Description Permissions Owner Group
-------------------- ----------- ------ -----

/usr/sbin/sendmail r-sr-sr-t root mail
(Sendmail executable file)

/etc/mail r-xr-xr-x bin bin
(Sendmail configuration/
database directory)

/etc/mail/sendmail.cf r--r--r-- bin bin
(Sendmail configuration file)

/etc/mail/aliases rw-r--r-- root sys
(Aliases source file)

/etc/passwd r--r--r-- root sys
(Password file)

/etc/resolv.conf rw-r--r-- root sys

/etc/nsswitch.conf r--r--r-- root sys
(Nsswitch system call opens)

/var/spool/mqueue rwxr-xr-x bin bin
(Default queue directory)

/var/spool/mqueue/df* rw-------- root mail
(Message Data file)

/var/spool/mqueue/qf* rw-------- root mail
(Message control/queue file)

/var/mail rwxrwxr-x bin mail
(User's mailbox directory)

/var/tmp rwxrwxrwx bin bin
(Temp directory)


-USA..

[Steven E. Protter]

elm uses sendmail as a transport(MTA). Permissions need to be read only to the world for that to happen on the database files(aliases.db for example).

SEP

[KPS]

/usr/sbin/sendmail looks different than what you indicate here should be /usr/sbin/sendmail r-sr-sr-t root mail

That could be it. My /usr/sbin/sendmail is set to 755.

How do i go about setting that permission setting on that file with chmod?

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Ken:

To set the permissions to "r-sr-sr-t" do:

# chmod 7555 file

See the manpages for 'chmod' for more explanation.

Regards!

...JRF...

[KPS]

That did it, setting /usr/bin/sendmail to 7555 changed the symptom. Thanks everyone. Now we have to figure out who/what changed the permissions on this.


Thanks again....

-KPS