'getenforce' command works locally but not through ssh

Question

I am trying to determine whether or not a number of CentOS servers have SELinux enabled.

To do this, I am using the getenforce command.

When I run the command locally on a single server, it either returns Enforcing or Disabled.

When I try and run the command in the format ssh sysadmin@server.org "getenforce" it returns bash: getenforce: command not found

Is there a reason the command will work when logged on locally to the server but be unable to be found when using SSH?

Note: this only happens on servers where the command would return Enforcing. If a server has SELinux disabled it will return Disabled when running the command via SSH.

Call the command with its full path when using it though SSH? — Kusalananda, Jul 24 '19 at 13:54
Do you get the same behavior if you log in ssh sysadmin@server and then execute getenforce in your login shell? — user4556274, Jul 24 '19 at 13:59
possibly related: https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/38175/difference-between-login-shell-and-non-login-shell/46856 — user4556274, Jul 24 '19 at 14:28

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 25 '19 at 07:02

1

Following advice from @Kusalananda♦, I referenced the absolute path when using the command like this:

ssh sysadmin@server.org "/usr/sbin/getenforce"

answered Jul 25 '19 at 07:02

Alex Ritchie

73

'getenforce' command works locally but not through ssh

1 Answers1