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Get the user parameter in scalar context before checking permissions #3174

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Get the user parameter in scalar context before checking permissions #3174

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7 changes: 6 additions & 1 deletion lib/WeBWorK/ContentGenerator/ProblemSets.pm
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -30,7 +30,12 @@ sub can ($c, $arg) {
my $text = DEFAULT_COURSE_INFO_TXT;
eval { $text = readFile($course_info_path) } if -f $course_info_path;

return $c->authz->hasPermissions($c->param('user'), 'access_instructor_tools')
# Note that the user parameter must be obtained in scalar context. In list context the param method
# returns the empty list when the parameter is not set, and that would silently remove the argument
# from the hasPermissions call below, making it croak about being given too few arguments.
my $user = $c->param('user');

return $c->authz->hasPermissions($user, 'access_instructor_tools')
Comment on lines +33 to +38

@drgrice1 drgrice1 Aug 28, 2026

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If you can demonstrate that this pull request is actually needed (I have done extensive testing, and I don't see any way that the can('info') calls can ever occur for this module without authentication, and so I doubt it is.), then this should be changed to

Suggested change
# Note that the user parameter must be obtained in scalar context. In list context the param method
# returns the empty list when the parameter is not set, and that would silently remove the argument
# from the hasPermissions call below, making it croak about being given too few arguments.
my $user = $c->param('user');
return $c->authz->hasPermissions($user, 'access_instructor_tools')
return $c->authz->hasPermissions(scalar $c->param('user'), 'access_instructor_tools')

Adding scalar does the same thing with a much smaller footprint, and the lengthy comment is not needed.

|| $text ne DEFAULT_COURSE_INFO_TXT;
}

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