linux chroot - ghdrako/doc_snipets GitHub Wiki

The chroot command in Linux allows you to create a restricted environment within the existing file system. This restricted environment is commonly referred to as a chroot jail and can be useful in a variety of situations where you need to isolate a process or group of processes from the rest of the system.

This can be particularly useful when testing new software or when dealing with sensitive data that needs to be kept separate from the main file system.

With the chroot command, you can create a restricted environment that contains a minimal set of files, directories, and libraries required for running an application. By changing the root directory to this isolated environment, you limit the application’s access to the rest of the system, reducing the attack surface and enhancing security.

  1. Create directory To create a restricted environment with the chroot command, you need to first create a directory that will serve as the root directory for the new environment.

This directory will contain a minimal set of files and libraries required to run the process or processes that will be confined to the new environment.

mkdir /path/to/new/root
  1. Copy the required files and libraries to the new directory This can be done manually, but it’s often easier to use a tool such as debootstrap or yum-utils to install the necessary packages and dependencies.

For example, to install a minimal Ubuntu system in the new directory, you can use the following command:

debootstrap xenial /path/to/new/root
  1. Use restricted enviroment
chroot /path/to/new/root command

In the above command, command is the name of the command or process you want to run in the restricted environment.

For example, to run the bash shell in the new environment, you can use the following command:

chroot /path/to/new/root bash

This will launch a new instance of the bash shell within the restricted environment. From within this shell, you can run other commands and processes as needed.