Linux Networking Cookbook

13.5. Configuring CGI Permissions for Full Nagios Web Access

Problem

You have followed all the steps so far, but when you log in to the Nagios web interface, you can't access all of the pages. Instead, you get this error: "It appears as though you do not have permission to view information you requested.… If you believe this is an error, check the HTTP server authentication requirements for accessing this CGI and check the authorization options in your CGI configuration file." How do you fix this?

Solution

Uncomment these lines in /usr/local/nagios/etc/cgi.cfg, and make sure the correct Nagios user is named, which in this chapter is nagios:

	authorized_for_all_services=nagios
	authorized_for_all_hosts=nagios
	authorized_for_system_commands=nagios
	authorized_for_configuration_information=nagios
	authorized_for_all_service_commands=nagios
	authorized_for_all_host_commands=nagios

Make sure this line is uncommented and set to 1:

	use_authentication=1

This requires all CGI scripts to use authentication. Disabling this opens a great big security hole; for example, any random person on your LAN could write whatever they want to your command file.

Save the changes, and try again. Now, your nagios user should have full access to all pages on the Nagios web interface, including the ability to run commands.

Discussion

At the end of the file, you can activate some sound alerts if you really really want to.

It is better to administer Nagios as an unprivileged user, rather than as the system's root user. You ...