exec: "bash": cannot run executable found relative to current directory

[limingjie]

Board

ESP32S3 Dev Module, ESP32 Dev Module

Device Description

The issue happens while compiling, a dev board is not required to reproduce the issue.

Version

2.0.12

IDE Name

Arduino IDE Version: 2.2.1

Operating System

macOS Ventura 13.5

Description

I saw this issue in a WeChat group. The compilation step fails if the PATH variable has a relative path. This is probably due to the security restriction of exec() that is used by Arduino, using a relative path gives the hacker a chance to replace the binary and potentially gain restricted access.

Reproduce Steps

The issue reproduces in macOS.

1. If you are not using zsh, change to zsh.

chsh -s /bin/zsh

2. Add a relative path into the $PATH env var. For example, append the following line at the end of ~/.zshrc.

export PATH="./bin:$PATH"

3. Close and restart Arduino IDE 2.2.1.
4. Select board ESP32S3 Dev Module or ESP32 Dev Module.
5. Try compiling any example sketch.

Solution

In platform.txt, replace bash with /usr/bin/env bash to ignore the search path, the issue is gone.

Error Log

FQBN: esp32:esp32:esp32s3
Using board 'esp32s3' from platform in folder: /Users/mingjie.li/Library/Arduino15/packages/esp32/hardware/esp32/2.0.12
Using core 'esp32' from platform in folder: /Users/mingjie.li/Library/Arduino15/packages/esp32/hardware/esp32/2.0.12

bash -c "[ ! -f \"/Users/mingjie.li/Documents/Arduino/BlinkRGB\"/partitions.csv ] || cp -f \"/Users/mingjie.li/Documents/Arduino/BlinkRGB\"/partitions.csv \"/private/var/folders/np/q95x8dw97611nmm409kr7znc0000gp/T/arduino/sketches/094B1C89E47FE775C5AE52E3FF7017B5\"/partitions.csv"

exec: "bash": cannot run executable found relative to current directory

Compilation error: exec: "bash": cannot run executable found relative to current directory

Sketch

Any sketch will do, to quickly reproduce it, I used the blink one.

/*
  BlinkRGB

  Demonstrates usage of onboard RGB LED on some ESP dev boards.

  Calling digitalWrite(RGB_BUILTIN, HIGH) will use hidden RGB driver.
    
  RGBLedWrite demonstrates controll of each channel:
  void neopixelWrite(uint8_t pin, uint8_t red_val, uint8_t green_val, uint8_t blue_val)

  WARNING: After using digitalWrite to drive RGB LED it will be impossible to drive the same pin
    with normal HIGH/LOW level
*/
//#define RGB_BRIGHTNESS 64 // Change white brightness (max 255)

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board

void setup() {
  // No need to initialize the RGB LED
}

// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
#ifdef RGB_BUILTIN
  digitalWrite(RGB_BUILTIN, HIGH);   // Turn the RGB LED white
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(RGB_BUILTIN, LOW);    // Turn the RGB LED off
  delay(1000);

  neopixelWrite(RGB_BUILTIN,RGB_BRIGHTNESS,0,0); // Red
  delay(1000);
  neopixelWrite(RGB_BUILTIN,0,RGB_BRIGHTNESS,0); // Green
  delay(1000);
  neopixelWrite(RGB_BUILTIN,0,0,RGB_BRIGHTNESS); // Blue
  delay(1000);
  neopixelWrite(RGB_BUILTIN,0,0,0); // Off / black
  delay(1000);
#endif
}

I have checked existing issues, online documentation and the Troubleshooting Guide

• I confirm I have checked existing issues, online documentation and Troubleshooting guide.

[VojtechBartoska]

@me-no-dev can you please take a look?

[me-no-dev]

how should we reproduce this?

[limingjie]

@me-no-dev Thanks for the reminder! I added a `Reproduce Steps section.

Reproduce Steps

The issue reproduces in macOS.

1. Add a relative path into the $PATH env var. For example, append the following line at the end of ~/.bashrc.

export PATH="./bin:$PATH"

2. Close and restart Arduino IDE 2.2.1.
3. Select board ESP32S3 Dev Module or ESP32 Dev Module.
4. Try compiling any example sketch.

[tomhobson]

I'm also getting this error! on MacOS 13.5 (22G74) (M1)

[me-no-dev]

@limingjie I tried adding relative search path, but CI did not fail?
https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/pull/8622/files#diff-69e60b602c9704198a3cf61eea0e6673e3ced88c6279d830c31c2a15a63c3154R8

[me-no-dev]

I also can not reproduce this on my M1 Mac with either old and new IDEs

[limingjie]

@me-no-dev The relative path must be added to the ~/.bashrc (and ~/.zshrc if you are using Z shell), so that the Arduino IDE can use it to search executables.

[me-no-dev]

@limingjie I made sure that the IDE sees that path as well (added a line to print out the PATH). That did not make it fail (same goes for CI). There must be something else at play here... I tried different boards/chips too.