CGI

Using CGI on CSEE Personal Web Pages

1. Log into your CSEE account

2. Create a cgi-bin directory to store your CGI scripts

mkdir -p ~/www/cgi-bin

chmod 755 ~/www/cgi-bin

3. Place your CGI files in the ~/www/cgi-bin directory. Ensure that the filenames for CGI executables end in .cgi OR .pl, otherwise the server will NOT recognize them as CGI scripts.

4. CGI script are accessed as a standard HTML link: http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~username/cgi-bin/filename.cgi

5. IMPORTANT: CGI scripts run as your account permissions. Be careful since a badly written script could allow someone to access your account/data. Do not put arbitrary CGI code up if you don't know how it works. Follow the best seciroty practices when you are writing your own CGI script. There are many good references on the web for CGI script security issues. If you use CGI scripts, it is highly recommend you become familiar with the issues regarding CGI.

6. The PHP language can be used for writing CGI scripts. Read the documentation at PHP.net and the CSEE PHP Guide for more information.

7. CSEEIT reserves the right to discontinue access or disable user's CGI scripts that is doing something bad (such as, but not limited to enabling an email relay, providing illegal services, using too much CPU time, something that is deemed undesirable). Keep in mind since this is state-owned equipment. Under Maryland State law, CSEEIT has the authority to decide what is undesirable and take appropriate action as needed.